


Finally Ever After

by Clhover



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Action, Alternate History, Character Turned Into Vampire, Drama, F/M, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Human/Vampire Relationship, Murder, Past Child Abuse, Romance, Torture, Vampire Family, Vampire Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-08 01:09:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 99,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21467563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clhover/pseuds/Clhover
Summary: Bella and her twin have had a hard life. But now they have a chance at happily every after. Can they overcome all of the obstacles in their way? Will they survive the threats thrown at them? With their mates by their side and their family at their back, there's only one way to find out. Fight! AH, OC, OOC
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Original Male Character(s), Jasper Hale/Bella Swan
Comments: 13
Kudos: 65





	1. I Hate Waiting

** **Bella POV** **

I step off the plane with an airy sigh of relief. For the first time in over a decade, my shoulders feel weightless and I don't have a single worry on my mind. I only stop in my determined walk when I find myself standing before a bank of windows and glass doors that lead out to the parking lot of the small airport in Port Angles we have just landed in.

A similar sigh to my own sounds to my right. Glancing over, I take in the welcome presence of my twin brother, Isaiah, as he admires the view at my side. He looks lighter than air, and giddier than I had seen him in years. His shaggy brown hair is raked off his face and hidden under a skull cap for warmth, allowing me to see his warm brown eyes shining with a happiness I don't remember finding in him since we were small. Smiling, I think of the reason we are both so happy to be in this dreary atmosphere of a climate.

No more Renee to wait on hand and foot.

No more days of going hungry because we're being 'punished'.

No more messes to clean up after wild parties the night before.

No more working ourselves to the bone through school and part time jobs simply to keep the mom-strosity happy.

My smile fades as a disquieting thought occurs to me as I peer at our reflections in the glass. We look much younger than we did in Pheonix. It was mostly in our eyes, I noted. And the straighter way we carried ourselves. It probably didn't hurt that we were a lot better groomed than we had been our whole lives. For once our hair had been cut in a shop, not at home by dull kitchen scissors and unpracticed hands. Our nails were tidy and unchewed. Our clothing wasn't patched and hanging off our rather thin frames like they were two sizes too big, which they usually were.

_ That is just so wrong, _I think, aggravated. After all, we were only just barely sixteen, going on seventeen years old. But after a moment of thought, I realize that this is, in fact, the truth. We had spent very nearly two decades acting the forced servants and caretakers for an abusive, neglectful fool, that we had never gotten to act or look our age. Hunched shoulders, tired eyes, bordering on unkempt appearances due to stressing for time, teenagers shouldn't look this way.

"This is a good change for us, Izzy. We'll be happy here." My twin says with false bravado. It doesn't last long, though. His shoulders fall slightly as doubt creeps into his eyes as he gazes warily out at our wet and sunless surroundings. "Right?"

I take a moment to think my answer over. "I think we will. After all, we are starting fresh. Fresh is better. We'll be happy."

** **Charlie POV** **

_ I couldn't wait! They're arriving today. In less than an hour!_ I think as I skid to a halt at the drivers door of my ancient Ford pickup. _My kids are finally gonna be living with me. And it's their choice! I could just scream I'm so excited._

The past week had passed in a blur in my eyes.

First the strange packages show up at my door, addressed in my children's names, Isaiah and Isabella Swan. When I open envelope addressed to me, confused as hell, I find a letter from the both of them. It read as such:

_Dear Charlie (Dad),_

_This may be a shock. Sorry we couldn't warn you in advance. We'll see you soon!_

_Love,_

_Isaiah & Isabella_

Attached to this note was a flight itinerary announcing an incoming flight to Port Angeles the following week.

I couldn't believe it. My kids, the children I had had stolen from me at four months of age by that bitch from Hell, were finally coming home. I was finally gonna get to see them.

The first thing I did after finding this out was call up my old friend, Billy Black. It wasn't long after that that the whole town knew of their arrival. The Stanley's wanted to throw a big party to welcome them, but the Webber's had the right of it. I was sure they would want at least a week to settle into things before being overwhelmed by the close knit community that was Forks, WA.

As I climbed into my truck, I couldn't help the big ol' grin I had on my face. I passed people I knew the whole way out of town. As I waved, I noted in the back of my mind their shocked expressions.

_ What? Can't a man be happy for a change?_ I thought as I turned onto the Highway. I suppose they were surprised at my exuberance due to the fact I didn't smile much. I hadn't in nearly seventeen years. Now, I had a feeling that would change.

It was just over an hour to the airport. When I pulled up to the passenger pick-up lane, I threw the truck in park and jumped out. Scanning the few arrivals milling around, a thought occurred.

_ Charlie, if you haven't seen your kids in nearly seventeen years, how the hell do you expect to pick them out of a crowd?_

Surely I would recognize my own children, right? They're my kids. Anxiety began to bubble up in my chest. I hadn't brought a sign to write their names on, and I would feel like a fool calling out loud for them.

Thankfully, I needn't worry. Not five minutes went by before I saw them walking towards me.

Even bundled up in jackets and hats, I could tell right away who they were. Their eyes were a warm, chocolate brown that struck me as matching my own exactly. And their hair, while covered for the most part, was the same shade of deep brown that I had. They were exactly the same height, each roughly 5'6''. In fact, nearly everything about them was exactly the same as the other. If I didn't know any better, I would think they were the same gender, as most identical twins are.

My smile broadened as I raised my arm to signal them over. Catching the movement, they spotted me quickly and hustled through the crowd. They each carried a small carry on bag, most likely holding only a change of clothes, and some bare essential toiletries.

Stopping in front of me, they stood and stared with identical looks of wonder writ on their faces. My face heated up as they stared, and I grew a mite uncomfortable under their combined gaze.

Suddenly, my girl, my Isabella, smiled slightly, a small blush rising to her face. "I guess I get my blushing curse from you, huh?"

Slowly, I nodded. Now that I was here, with my twin children standing before me, I didn't know what to say. How to act. What to do.

But the decision was taken out of my hands. Before I could think too hard about it, I was dragged into a quick, tight hug by my son, Isaiah. It didn't last very long, and I wished it had. However, I knew that men didn't hug. Even their own sons. So it would do, and I was happy with any affection I could get from them after so long.

Breaking the contact, I pulled back and took in the sight of my only son. Huh. Strange feeling. My son. It felt good to finally think that without pain crashing through me.

He looked strong and healthy. He had good muscle tone, with the build of a light-weight boxer. He was a little on the thin side, they both were on closer inspection, but that was probably due to their mother's genes at work. The damn female could never put any weight on. Even when pregnant with twins, she had been like a twig with a large bubble in the middle.

Turning fully to my daughter, I grinned at the thought, I opened my arms in the universal sign of 'can I have a hug?'. With only a small hesitation, my girl threw herself into my arms and held on for dear life. God it felt great to finally hold my little girl. It had been too damn long!

Raising my head from Isabella's hair, I caught sight of Isaiah's expression. He looked... scared? Confused? Happy? Constipated? I had no idea. I only knew that that expression didn't fit and should never be on my boy's face. It made my gut wrench in paternal worry and vexation.

Slowly, even a little reluctantly if I wasn't reading the signs wrong, my little girl drew away to stand next to her brother again. Looking at them together, I had the funny thought that they were like two jig-saw pieces, perfectly matched together, but with the outer edges missing. Making the whole picture incomplete and unsatisfactory.

Shaking my head at my ridiculous thoughts, I clapped and rubbed my hands together in front of me, not missing for a moment the sudden jerk and skittish movements of the teenagers before me.

Looking between the two, I asked, "So, either of you hungry? I'll buy if you are."

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

We sat in a homey little restaurant on the edge of Port Angeles' business district, enjoying a hot meal. As I watched my children eat like it was their last, I mulled over what had happened in the truck on the way here.

_ Flashback _

_ We piled into the truck after my question. Isaiah sat next to me, with Isabella settled on his other side. It looked to me like he was guarding her almost._

_ As we pulled into traffic, I asked them how their flight was._

_ Isaiah shrugged his shoulders. "Long, but good."_

_ When they didn't add anything, I asked, "So, do you guys feel like anything in particular for dinner. Sky is the limit."_

_ There was a pause before their answer came. "Whatever you like." They answered simultaneously. They sounded almost afraid to speak. Strange. I _ _had_ _ asked them a question, why would they be afraid of answering._

_ I was distracted at that moment by my rear view mirror. It had somehow gotten skewed just enough everything in its' reflection was off center. Reaching up, I adjusted the angle slightly to fix my view._

_ Suddenly, Isaiah flinched away from my raised hand in the limited space of the cab, all but throwing his body over the top of Isabella. With both of their eyes squeezed shut, they couldn't see my dazed expression._

_ Why would they react like that? _ _I thought, bile rising in my throat at the obvious answer._

_ I'm a cop. I may be the Police Chief of a small town, but I'm still a cop. I know what abuse looks like. I know the signs. I know the reactions of those too used to a harsh word, and an even harsher hand. But at this moment, in this little truck cab, with my newly returned sixteen year old twins finally straightening beside me, I didn't want to know. I couldn't acknowledge such an atrocity without lashing out at something._

_ But my mind couldn't help catalog every nuance I saw. Their slumped shoulders, though they were straightening up. Their eyes cast down submissively and their heads turned away ever so slightly. Isabella's hands were trembling a little, I saw, when we stopped at a red light._

_ A few minutes later we arrived at the restaurant and got out of the vehicle._

_ End Flashback _

Taking a bite of my steak, I continue to watch the twins eat their food. Their shoulders weren't so rounded now, but their eyes wouldn't meet mine. Every once in a while, one of them would ask a question, like how the weather was around here, then fall silent again.

Something caught my eye as I peered at Isaiah. As he turned his head to look at his sister beside him, I ground my teeth at what I saw.

Just below his shaggy brown hair and just above the collar of his t-shirt, there were a few barely visible, thin, wispy scars. They weren't fresh, and they weren't from one beating. Many overlapped and crisscrossed each other.

Casting my eyes to my food, I found my appetite completely gone in favor of the impotent rage I felt roiling in my gut, though I somehow was able to keep my emotions from showing on my face. Pushing my food around, I contemplated what to do.

After only a moment's thought, I decided that I would let them settle in. Let them get to know me, and me them. Let us get comfortable before I rip open a likely seeping wound.

But for now, I had to wait. I had to wait as my children climbed back into the truck and we drove for home. I had to wait as I helped them get their things settled in their new bedrooms. I had to wait as we all settled in for the night. I had to wait as I took myself off to bed, still seething with anger at the knowledge that someone, and I was pretty sure who, had laid their filthy hands on my children and I could do nothing about it. I could do nothing but wait.


	2. I Think We'll Be Happy

** **Charlie POV** **

I was still waiting. I know it has only been three days since my children arrived, but it was killing me to watch them flinch at loud noises, look over their shoulders as if something were stalking them, or worse, attempt to fade into the background unobtrusively. Every instinct in me wanted to grab them and hold them safe in my arms, even knowing this would probably not be welcome.

Instead, I went about my normal routine, going to work, coming home, watching television, then going to bed. The only difference was that now, Isabella and Isaiah were taking it upon themselves to clean the house and prepare the food. I had thought that they would arrive and take some time for themselves after their trip here, but no. They dove right in, and I had a bad feeling that they thought I would lash out at them if they neglected even one detail. It hurt to think my children couldn't trust me, their father, one of the two people in the world made to protect them.

Shuffling in the front door after a long Friday of speeding tickets and adolescent shoplifting, I began to undo my utility belt, turning to the coat pegs next to the door.

"Um... Dad?"

I turned from hanging up my gun belt in the entryway. Isaiah stood behind me, fidgeting.

"What's up, son?" I asked, relishing the term 'son' falling from my lips. A smile broke out on my face at the thought of my kids. Even though pain still bubbled just below the surface at the horrid hints of their childhood I'd caught so far, I still couldn't get over the sheer joy of having _my children_ under my roof and in my care.

"We were wondering if... well, if you wouldn't mind sitting down and talking for a minute. We wanted to discuss a few concerns we have." As Isaiah spoke, he got more and more nervous, thus increasing his fidgeting. And he couldn't seem to draw his attention away from his shoes.

Smiling to myself, I agreed and told him I would be down in a minute, I needed to get out of my uniform. Rushing through the task, I hurry back downstairs. As I enter the kitchen in my favorite flannel and jeans, I see Isaiah and Isabella in a heated, whispered discussion. When they caught sight of me, they immediately cut off their whispers.

Looking from one to the other, I start to get a little anxious about the upcoming conversation. Immediately, my mind went to the worst case scenario. Were they going to tell me the same things as Renee? That I was boring? Too stuck in my routine? Too invested in my town, and not enough in my home life? Were they going to tell me that they were getting out of here as soon as the opportunity arose?

Shaking my head, I plaster a small smile on my face and sit down opposite them at the dining table. Leaning forward, I rest my weight on my elbows. "What can I do for you, kiddos?"

They looked at each other before speaking. Some kind of silent communication passed between them before they turned back to me.

Isaiah was the one to speak first. "Well, we know this situation is new to all of us, so we thought it might help us to settle in if we all had some, well, ground rules, of a sort."

Relief washed through me as his words registered. My kids weren't telling me that I was difficult to live with. They weren't unhappy because of me. As selfish as that thought was, I was relieved. They just wanted to know how to go forward from here. I could do this. "Okay. What did you guys have in mind?"

This seemed to surprise them, apparently. They simultaneously sat back in their seats, looking at me for the longest time. Finally, they looked at each other and gave the smallest of nods.

It was Isaiah to speak again. "First, we know we have responsibilities. But we refuse to be the only ones to do the household chores. All tasks should be split evenly." My son said this as if he were standing in front of a firing squad.

I nodded. "True. I usually do a deep clean every Sunday. But any mess I make during the week, I clean as I go. As for laundry... that's touch and go, to be honest. Some days I remember, others it's a foreign concept." My poor attempt at a joke seems to have dragged a little humor into the situation. The twins chuckle slightly and relax a bit. My inner dad is standing tall and proud.

Isabella sits forward and places her hands flat on the table. "I can help with the laundry. I don't mind. But cooking..." At the look on my face, she trailed off.

My cheeks heat up as I admit that I can't cook, at all. "I mean, I even burned water the last time I tried to boil an egg." They looked at each other, that same silent communication passing between them. Rushing on before this could become a problem, I said, "But that's okay. On my nights, we could have take out. Or go to a restaurant. Maybe you guys could even show me how to make something simple. Like cereal. Yeah, that's a safe option."

They bust out laughing at the look on my face. It was a full minute before they could calm themselves. I didn't mind. It was good to see them happy. Over the past three days, they just seemed to... fade into the walls. Like they were trying not to exist or not be noticed for fear of reprisals.

Straightening, they wiped tears from their eyes.

"That sounds good to us. Maybe we could stagger nights for cooking." Isabella said, still laughing slightly. I nodded in agreement.

Isaiah cleared his throat and looked between me and his sister. From the look on his face, I had the distinct feeling that the heavy talk was about to begin. Uh-oh.

"Um..." Isaiah began. "See... we were talking earlier... Now we aren't trying to be disrespectful or anything, but... I mean, we realize you're our parent, and as such you have the right to set up... rules and... consequences. We get that, really. But, um, we..." This seems to be the end of his confidence and he looks to his twin with a silent plea for help.

Isabella squares her shoulders and looks me dead in the eyes and says, "While you have the right to parent us, we reserve the right to throw a teenage fit if we feel it is needed." She said this in a rush almost defiantly, following it up by crossing her arms over her chest and raising her little chin. For a moment, I felt that I was seeing what she might have been like when she was a little girl and not a young woman of nearly seventeen.

I sat silent for a moment, trying and failing to control my mirth. My internal battle didn't last long. Before I knew it, I was cracking up, doubled over and clutching my stomach. I tried to reign myself in, but every time I looked up at their faces, I broke down all over again. They looked so stubborn. Identically stubborn. And affronted. As if I was insulting their intelligence with my loud laughs.

Keeping my eyes closed, I was finally able to control myself long enough to laughingly get out a reply. "So, let me make sure I have this-" my laughing interrupts me. "-straight. All you want is equal share of chores," another chuckle, "nights off cooking," my shoulders were still shaking, "and the right to say no when I tell you to do something?"

Still virtually pouting, my children nod slowly, unsure for some reason.

I take a few deep breaths and work my way out of the last of my laughing fit. "I think I can more than live with that. Anything else?" Looking between them, they both shook their heads in the negative.

After a little hammering out of cooking and cleaning schedules and the do's and don't's of laundry etiquette, we decide to go out for dinner, since the new schedule won't be implemented until next week. At dinner, we chat back and forth, getting to know each other a little more.

Throughout the conversation, I hear a lot about what they've done together. They have a great relationship, but I'm a little worried. It sounds like they've never spent time with kids their own age. I hear no stories of anyone else besides the two of them. They don't even mention their mother. I mark that as odd and decide to bring it up at a later date. There's too much of a good mood going right now.

On the ride back to the house, I start thinking again on the reason they suddenly decided to come live with me. Did their mother get remarried and they decided to give her space? Did they have a fight with her? Did she kick them out? Did the new guy? Did they think living here was a sacrifice, a punishment like their mother often believed? My thoughts whirled round and round on this mental path until I virtually gave myself a headache.

As we climbed out of the truck at the house, I decided it was better to ask them for their reasoning, rather than give myself an ulcer with my morose thoughts.

They looked at me, confused when I asked them why they had suddenly decided to live with me in Forks. That same silent communication again.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I love that you're here and I would never send you two away!" I rush out, afraid I was pushing them away. "It's just that, when I got that letter you two sent me when you were six, I thought the two of you never wanted to see me."

"Uh... Dad, we... truth is..." Now it was Isabella's turn to stutter. Her brother decides to take over for her when he sees her falter.

"Up until a month ago, Dad, we thought you were dead." Isaiah states bluntly.

This stuns me into speechlessness. They thought I was dead? Why? I ask them as such.

My children proceed to tell me that they had never received a damn thing I ever sent for them before that damn letter. That they never wrote to me, never even knew of me. That up until a month ago, their mother had them believing that I had killed myself when she had gotten pregnant to avoid the responsibilities of having a family. When I asked them how they could explain the child support, they simply said that Renee had told them she married a man before she gave birth. A few months later the bastard supposedly left them because of Isaiah and Isabella. The courts mandated that he pay child support, as the twins were born when they were married.

If I wasn't already in a state of numbness, I would be there already after these revelations. My children thought I was dead... They hadn't hated me... They... possibly... loved me?

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

The next thing I knew, we were in the living room, me in my recliner, the kids on the couch. I was still stunned and speechless and they were looking at me like I was going to explode or do something equally as dangerous. Looking up, I saw their wary expressions and I knew I had to put them out of their misery.

Taking a few deep, calming breathes, I asked almost calmly, "Why... why would she do that? She took you from me when you two were four months old!" Don't yell, Charlie! You'll spook them again. Deep breath, then talk. "I asked for visitation so many times before I took her to court. The judge ruled that I would have summers, but she always had an excuse. Bella was sick that summer and not fit to travel. Isaiah broke an arm climbing a tree. The two of you had chicken pox. One after another, the list goes on." _Slow down, Swan. _I told myself. But I couldn't, it was all coming out whether I wanted it to or not.

Another deep, shuddering breath and I forged bullheadedly on. "Whenever I found out where you lived, I would show up only to find you had moved or never lived there to begin with. So many times, I was so close, only five minutes behind you. No matter how I asked, begged, or pleaded, she would still refuse to give me time with you. Finally, when you were six, I was preparing to go to court for full custody for you. That's when the letter arrived. It said you were distressed with my attempts to contact you. That I was a stranger you had no inclination to know, and that I would do best to forget about the two of you. At first, I didn't want to believe it. But at the bottom of the page, your names were signed. I had never seen your handwriting before, but it looked distinctly childish." Not for the first time in the last sixteen years, hot tears were washing over my face as I thought of that horrible day. "I knew then that I had no hope of ever seeing you again. The kids I loved more than my own life were lost to me, and I could do nothing to get you back." Dejectedly, I hung my head in shame as I admitted my failures to them. I don't know how I expected them to react, but I was still surprised when it happened.

Two sets of warm arms wrapped around me, holding me tight. Two low, soothing voices murmured comforting words as I sat there in my living room bawling like a baby.

As I wiped my eyes, they withdrew and I felt bereft, but I said nothing. It was silent until Bella spoke, at last.

"Dad... We never wrote to you. I'm sorry we didn't try to find out the truth. If we had known that you were alive and wanted us, we would have found a way to get to you." Looking up, I saw my baby girl standing in the middle of the living room, tears pouring, her brother by her side. I started to shake my head, to tell her it wasn't her fault.

I stood up and moved closer to them. "Baby girl, none of what happened was your fault. None of it. I should have fought harder. I shouldn't have given up. Your mother shouldn't have lied to you. She shouldn't have kept us apart." _Time to take a chance, Charlie. Jump._ "But we're together now. We can be a family. I'm sure we'll all disagree at times, and we'll have to put some effort into making some things work, but we'll pull through." I looked them both in the eyes and forged ahead. "I want to be your father. I want us to be happy as a family. I may get stuck in my routine at times, but maybe you two could help me change that when needed."

The last syllable was barely out of my mouth before I had an armful of my children again, hugging the stuffing out of me.

We stood there for god knows how long, just basking in the warmth of our family, before the twins pulled back and spoke in unison.

"I think we'll be happy, too."


	3. The Fight

** **Isaiah POV** **

It all feels so strange. My sister and I didn't know what to think, how to act, or what to do.

Living with Charlie was almost too good to believe. To go from daily fear and a life of servitude to feeling safe and loved for the first time in our lives was hard to get used to. We weren't reprimanded for anything, not even when we accidentally spilled soda on the living room sofa while eating pizza the other day.

It has been almost two months since we got here, and we finally feel like we're home. Not just in a place to survive, but home. With our father who loves us. We do feel a little guilty for not telling him why we came to live with him, but Izzy and I discussed it. Not telling him is the right thing. After all, we wouldn't want him to blame himself for our childhood. From what we can tell, and from all we've learned since we arrived, Charlie did everything he could to have a life with us.

A soft knock sounded at my bedroom door, interrupting my thoughts.

Izzy stuck her head in, looking at me quizzically. "Are you ready, Izzy?"

That's right. We were going to La Push today with Charlie for an end of summer vacation beach bonfire. At first, sis and I didn't want to go. We had never gone to social gatherings when we lived with Renee. She always said that we weren't mature enough for them and didn't we have chores to do?

"Uh, Izzy, aren't you a little nervous? I mean-" I asked her.

She blushed a little like she always does. "Of course I'm nervous. But we came her to live, Izzy. Not hide. We don't have to hide anymore. We can go out, have fun, act our age. Dad doesn't mind if we do, right? He said so." By the end she was shuffling in place and staring at her shoes like they were a grand work of art.

I kicked myself for ruining her enthusiasm, but, for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that something unpleasant was going to happen today. Walking over to her, I give her a hug before saying, "Of course, you're right. What was I thinking? Just let me get my satchel and then we can head out, 'kay?"

She nodded vigorously and dashed away, calling for Charlie excitedly the whole way. I heard him laugh in the direction of the front door before I grabbed my bag and headed after her.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

Arriving at First Beach, I finally got a taste of the excitement my sister was feeling. Our father was grinning ear to ear as we all but bounced out of the truck together.

Chuckling, Charlie called out to us, probably afraid we would run off and get ahead of ourselves. He wasn't wrong.

Bounding back over to him, Bella and I were practically vibrating in our excitement.

"Calm down, you two. It's not that big a deal. It's only a small bonfire. Nothing to write home about." We must have made a strange face, because he looked at the two of us and sobered up a little. "You have gone to a cook out before, right?"

Izzy and I looked at each other, trying to gauge how to answer without worrying him. In the end, we simply gave a noncommittal shrug, hoping to move on from this topic. For a moment, I was unsure if it worked. His face looked like storm clouds roiling on the horizon. Before I could tell for sure, his happy grin was back, and he was leading us over to a group of his friends, closest to the bonfire.

I was careful to keep Bella on the far side of me from the fire. She may not mean to be, but she is a clumsy, two left-footed, danger magnet. Her and fire don't mix well.

Charlie raised his hand slowly in front of me, as if to show me intent, then rested it on my shoulder. "Billy, I'd like to introduce you to my kids. This here is Isaiah." His free hand waved toward Bella with his next words. "And this pretty young lady is Isabella. Bells, Isaiah, this is my best, and oldest, friend, Billy Black, Chief of the Quileute tribe."

Out of habit, my eyes skirted down and away from the new man. When I realized what I'd done, I raised my eyes defiantly, ignoring the stupid blush that washed over my face, and stuck out my hand to the man. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Black." I didn't miss the fact that Izzy sidled closer and took my left hand in a death grip.

Mr. Black gave a big smile and shook my hand firmly. "It's very nice you meet you, young man. And none of this Mr. crap, alright. Just call me Billy. We're practically family, after all."

A small, tentative smile curved my lips. Before I could say anymore, me and my sister were dragged into so many introductions, I doubt we would remember a quarter of them between us by the end of the day.

Some hours later, I looked to Isabella to see if she was getting as overwhelmed as I was. She was deep in conversation at my side with a kid, Seth I think, and his sister Leah. She seemed okay, so I turned back to my own conversation with Billy's son, Jacob.

"Yeah, me and my friends do it all the time!" He was saying. "It's completely safe to cliff dive, especially if you know what weather is best. Sam is helping to teach some of the younger kids on the rez, but the weather hasn't been great lately."

I nodded, looking up at the sky. "True. I suspect it rains here a lot. It's really wet, but it makes for some pretty peaceful nights to sleep through."

He laughed. "You make it sound like night time is anything but peaceful. What, did you have people jumping outta your closet like strange boogeymen, or something?"

I tensed up as he spoke. He was laughing because he didn't realize how close he was to the truth.

_ So many sleepless nights..._ Without my consent, my mind wandered down that dark, fear drenched path. The smell of stale tobacco, cheap perfume, and sex wafted through my mind unbidden. It brought with it memories of sharp blades, tears running down a young, terrified face, and the sound of breaking bones. Mine, usually. Memories flashed, and passed, flashed, and passed, in quick succession, looking like some cut up, disjointed, macabre slide show as they filtered through my mind. No matter what I did, they wouldn't stop. I tried thinking of better things.

_Isabella. Charlie. Forks. Isabella. Charlie. Forks._

A knife slashing close, too close, to my sister's face. A sick man unbuttoning his trousers, leering at the two of us huddled on the bed.

_Isabella. Charlie. Forks. Isabella. Charlie. Forks._

The feeling of being dragged from my bed by my hair, kicking and screaming. The sensation of blood slowly dribbling down my forehead after it was bashed into a wall for 'talking back'.

_Isabella. Charlie. Forks. Isabella! Charlie! Forks!_

Watching my twin being bent over a table roughly by two burly men as _she _watched on sadistically, a pot-high smile playing about her scarlet, harlot red lips. Hearing the whistle of the whip through the air and knowing there wasn't a goddamn thing I could do about it.

_ISABELLA! CHARLIE! FORKS!_

Laying on the sticky, blood soaked living room rug, staring into my sisters tear stained face. I reached my hand out, needing a connection with her. I clung to her until the paramedics had to literally pry us apart. _'She can't be dead. God, please don't let her be dead!'_

Jacob leaned in front of me, waving his hand in my face and bringing me harshly back to the present. He'd obviously been trying to get my attention for some time. How long, however, was hard to tell.

It took me a minute to realize I was hyperventilating.

Before I could even try and think of how to respond to the boy in front of me, I felt a warm, reassuring weight settle into my side. Glancing down in a panic, I saw, to my relief, that it was only Izzy. Her head came to rest on my shoulder as she continued to converse with the people before her in the evening light by the dying fire. Obviously, she was attempting to not draw attention to my... situation.

God, I loved my sister. If it weren't for her, my sanity would have went out the window years ago in that hell hole we called home.

Slinging my arm around her shoulders, I turned back to Jacob. I was getting ready to make some excuse or another for my inattention, when suddenly there was another boy, if he could be called that, standing before us. His hands were place on his hips, and he had a very belligerent expression on his face.

I felt Isabella tense under my arm. Irritated, I looked up at the newcomer, vaguely recognizing him as Paul, whom I had briefly been introduced earlier. "Excuse me, Paul was it? My sister and I aren't exactly comfortable with your proximity. Would you be kind enough to step back a foot or two?"

Paul's face scrunched up in irritation at my words. "What, I'm not good enough to be near you and the little princess?"

Realizing the boy wasn't going to move away, I silently urged Izzy to stand up and move a distance away with me. We both didn't want to cause a scene here. It would most likely reflect poorly on Charlie.

"Hey, where do you think you're going? I was talking to you!" Before we could take a single step, Isabella was jerked backwards and out of my grasp.

Spinning back around to face the threat, I did the only thing I knew to do. I grabbed the asshole's wrist, jerked it up and away from my sister and gave a sharp, precise twist that caused the petulant jerk to spin around or have his wrist broken at worst or badly sprained at best.

A string of colorful expletives issued from Paul's mouth as I held him in my grip. As he tried to free himself I merely held him firmly, ignoring his useless, jerky attempts.

"I will only tell you once, asshole. Keep. Your hands. OFF. My sister." To punctuate my words, I incrementally tightened my grip. "Are we clear?"

After a few more moments of feeble glares, Paul nodded halfheartedly. Not trusting him, but unwilling to cause more of a scene in front of Charlie's friends, I let him go. I wasn't stupid enough to take my eyes off him, though.

Stumbling away from me a little, he held his wrist in his uninjured hand, rubbing to bring feeling back into the appendage. And yet, the idiot had not learned anything. He continued to glare at me and my sister like we were the ones to begin this fight.

I looked to Isabella, hoping she might know what to do.

I could tell by the look on her face that she didn't think this should go on any longer.

I nod and take her arm to lead her away.

"You know, I've been wondering why you two even came back here to live with your old man." The stupid boy didn't know when to quit. "I heard you got kicked outta your old school for selling... ahem, comfort. I mean, your sister is pretty and all, but I'll bet she didn't bring in all that much from even the pale faces." Only a few snickers could be heard in the gathered crowd around our little show. The rest of the gathered faces around us were looking disgustedly at Paul.

_ A knife slashing too close to Izzy's face. A foul smelling man unbuttoning his trousers. He leered at us as we huddled on the bed._

** _ Flashback _ **

_"You're mommy said I could make myself at home. Why don't you two sweeties help me out?" Izzy shook her head, sobbing into my chest. "Come on, all I want is a little comfort, baby girl."_

_Rafael reached out and made a grab for my sister as I held her close. My six year old arms were no match for a grown up. She was pulled from the bed, screaming for me, screaming for help._

_"Now, now, sugar, it'll only hurt for a minute. Maybe two..." He laughed, his oily hair falling into his face as he dropped his pants._

_No. Don't hurt her!_

_Lunging off the bed, I threw myself at Rafael. I didn't know what to do. I was only six years old. I had no strength, but nothing could harm my sister._

_Acting on instinct, I sunk my teeth into the sick man's arm. He howled in pain. Cussing, he dropped Bella and began to beat me about the head with the butt of the blade he had set down. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Izzy stand up on shaky legs. I silently begged her to get away. Little good that did. We never left each other._

_Latching onto his free arm, my sister bit his wrist, hoping, I guess, he would drop the knife at the very least. Instead, with a firm thud or two into the wall, we dropped to the ground in a heap._

_Through blurry eyes, I saw the glint of the knife swing dangerously close to Izzy's face. Angry he had missed, Rafael reared back for another swing._

_Throwing myself in front of her, I took the slash of cool steel low down on my belly. My shorts were shredded, and blood started to seep out immediately, but I could do nothing else._

_As darkness began to take my vision, I thought and prayed desperately to anyone that would listen._

_'_ _Please don't let her be hurt. Don't take my twin from me. Don't take my better half.'_

** _ End Flashback _ **

I was jarred back to the present again by another round of laughs and taunts from the crowd at Paul's next words. "Look at them, they don't even deny it. I'll bet she even liked it." He grinned salaciously in Isabella's direction, grabbing his crotch in lewd suggestion. "Tell you what, sugar, I'll be your first-"

I snapped. Quickly, before he could see it coming, I flew at the foul mouthed boy and delivered a firm right hook straight to his nose. His head snapped back with surprise and momentum.

Lurching forward again, he brought his hands up to his face, as if to staunch the steady wellspring of blood pouring forth from his freshly broken nose.

"Don't you ever talk about my sister like that, you filthy son-of-a-bitch." I growled out.

Glaring at me, he made to lunge at me, as if he was going to wrestle me to ground. Deftly evading his advance, I used the new angle and his momentum to land a sharp elbow right below his ribs on the center of his spine. This quickly put him flat on his face on the ground. Growling, he dragged himself to his feet. This time, he didn't make a move right away. Instead, he began to size me up.

Technically, there wasn't much to me. I'm only 5'6'' at most and I'm not exactly stacking on the muscle. My nutrition hasn't really allowed for that kind of thing in my life. But growing up in the situations my sister and I have had to deal with, one tends to learn how to fight and find the weakness of your opponent.

Apparently, Paul saw an opening and made his move. But just as I was about to act, I heard a familiar gasp.

Whipping my head in her direction, I saw Isabella being manhandled by some of the boy's 'friends'. My distraction cost me a clipped jaw, but I could live with that. Paul punched like a pansy, anyways.

Rushing over, I yanked the two guys off of Izzy and bashed their heads together, effectively neutralizing the threat they presented. Looking up at my sister to see if she was okay, I felt someone grab the back of my old, thin long sleeve t-shirt I had worn. Emphasis on 'had worn'. It was quickly shredded from my body as Paul put all his strength into this action.

Gasps abounded in the growing crowd around us. The only one unfazed by my exposed skin was my sister. She knew exactly where each and every mark that riddled my body came from. And the pain behind every memory.

So many scars were covering my torso, there was almost no unblemished skin. Paul reared back in obvious disgust. Deciding to play off this, I turned to face him head on.

Arms out to my sides, I displayed every scar I had as if each one was a threat. "Come at me then, kid. I'll show you how to respect others, if nothing else. I've bloodied bigger and meaner than you, asswipe." I was seething, and not bothering to hide it. I was sick of people who thought they could beat on and demean others simply for the sake of doing so. If I could take this bastard down a peg or two, I wouldn't waste the opportunity. Though I knew it would disappoint my sister, I also knew I _had_ to do it.

Just then, a tall, muscled, black haired man entered the make shift ring, hands up in a soothing gesture. I waited to see if he would be a threat as well, gauging his actions. I wouldn't hesitate to protect my sister. Damn the consequences.

** **Bella POV** **

We finally get to act like 'normal' teenagers, and this jerk comes in and ruins it. My brother was already having a hard time keeping his head out of the past, and this situation was not helping. I wasn't doing a good job of keeping my head in the present, either, but I was learning to fake it. And besides, I had my brother to lean on.

We were having a great time, until this Paul guy decided to butt in. I couldn't understand why he was being so antagonistic. We had never done anything to him, or his friends. We had only just come to live with Charlie a couple months ago. This was the first time we were meeting anyone in the surrounding area. So, why was he acting this way?

When Paul grabbed my arm and Izzy put him in a hold, I hoped that would be the end of it. I didn't want to cause trouble for Charlie. What if he wanted to send us away because of it? What if he lashed out at us because it was our fault for not disengaging faster? What if?

But, apparently, the guy didn't know when to take a hint. He simply kept insulting us. My temper simmered under the surface as the guy's words stirred unpleasant memories in me. Memories rife in blood, fear, and pain.

Shaking my head to dislodge those thoughts, I watched uselessly as Izzy rushed Paul in anger. While his words were heart warming, I couldn't help but worry. Would he get in trouble for defending me?

As I watched the fight with bated breath, I tried my best to not distract my brother. My interference would only lead to him getting hurt, after all. Right when Paul attempted to strike Isaiah a second time, I felt two sets of rough hands grab me from both sides.

I gasped from the shock of the unexpected contact, and instinctively began to struggle against my captors. Squeezing my eyes shut, I fought to control my temper.

I felt their hands leave me none too soon and opened my eyes when I heard a sickening crack. The two young adults were crumpled at my feet and Izzy was looking at me with concern. I caught movement over his shoulder too late.

Paul grabbed Isaiah's shirt and I heard a tearing noise as the old, ratty t-shirt was ripped from my brother's body to reveal the horrible scars from our childhood. Some we shared, most others we didn't. But each one filled my mind with the pain and sadness of the memories they held for us.

Sick creeps, leering smiles, horrible smells, broken bones, screaming though no one would hear or care.

Tears welled in my eyes that I refused to shed. I knew Izzy would feel bad enough with everyone else's reactions. He didn't need mine piled on all the rest. I would hopefully be the steady rock in the storm that was sure to follow this incident.

With a dangerous gleam in his eyes that I wished I didn't recognize, my twin turned to face the threat, because that is surely how he saw him.

Isaiah took a stance that perfectly showed off every one of his scars. "Come at me then, kid. I'll show you how to respect others, if nothing else. I've bloodied bigger and meaner than you, asswipe." If Paul couldn't hear the danger he was in, he was dumber than he looked. And that was a pretty sad thought.

Out of nowhere, a tall, black haired man entered the periphery of the fight. His hands were up in a non-threatening manner, but I knew that if he made even one wrong move, my brother wouldn't hesitate to add him to his current list of threats to take care of.

The belligerent guy puffed up, obviously sure the newcomer was there to help him and knowing he would win now. But apparently, he couldn't be more wrong.

"Now let's all calm down a little, yeah?" The new guy said evenly, looking between Isaiah and Paul.

Now sensing the newcomer wasn't going to help him, Paul huffed like a spoiled child. "Man, get outta here, Sam. This doesn't concern you. I need to teach this pale face how to respect his betters."

Before Isaiah, or anyone, could react, the new guy, Sam, had Paul by the scruff of the neck and pulled close to his face.

"Listen, and listen closely, you loose cannon. You either apologize for the things you've said, or I will strip every privilege you have until you are no more special than the council. You got that, you egotistical fool?"

Paul spluttered, "B-but you can't do that! I'm your sec-"

Sam shook him hard enough we heard his teeth rattle even from where we were standing. "Am I understood, Pup, or do I need to make myself clearer?" Reluctantly, Paul gritted his teeth and nodded. This got him another fierce shake. "Say it, boy!"

"I understand, sir!" I was slightly shocked that the stubborn man-boy would give in at all.

"Now apologize."

Paul was unceremoniously chuffed forward from Sam's hold. Stumbling to a halt, he was reluctant to raise his eyes further than my brother's shoulders. "I'm sorry for my words and actions. I should not have offended you in such a manner." He looked back at Sam with a look that practically screamed 'There, are you happy?'

Sam glared at Paul and jerked his head to the side. Paul took this as a sign to scamper, for that was what it was, away until he couldn't be seen anymore.

Turning to my brother and I, Sam's expression softened until he looked like a kindly older brother or maybe an uncle, instead of the hardened taskmaster he had felt like before. "I'm am deeply sorry for the actions of one our own. On the behalf of the tribe, I hope you will forgive us. Though I will understand if you cannot after such harsh words and actions of one such as Paul. I promise you, he will not go unpunished. You have my word."

Isaiah didn't bother replying. He was too angry to form words. Everyone else probably thought his emotions were still running high. I knew better, however. Izzy hated it when a potential threat got away without concrete evidence that it would not come back to bite us later on. He would be seething for days and I would have a hell of a time getting him out of his mood.

With a curt nod, my twin stalked towards me. Taking my arm gently, he guided me away from the bonfire and the scene of the fight towards our father's ancient ford chevy in front of the Black house.

That was where our father found us less than a minute later, Isaiah still fuming. He stood shocked before us, staring at Izzy's scars in horror.

Uncomfortable with Charlie's gaze, Isaiah attempted to cover up. Shaking his head, Dad removed his flannel button down over shirt and offered it to my brother.

Without any words exchanged, we all clamored into the truck and took off for home. The whole way, I noticed Charlies hands were white knuckled on the steering wheel. But that was the only indication of his mood. Otherwise, he was completely calm. I didn't know how to predict what he was thinking or how he would act. I guess we would find out at home, because I was not pulling the pin on that grenade while in such an enclosed space with two testosterone riddled, angry men.


	4. We Are Family

** **Bella POV** **

Charlie paced like a caged tiger in front of us as Isaiah and I stood in the living room watching and waiting. There was nothing we could think to say to diffuse our father's anger. With Renee, all we had to do was keep our heads down. Power through our chores and stay out of sight until we figured she forgot the incident. Renee wasn't one to throw a big loud temper, though. She was more likely to plot revenge hidden behind sweet smiles and syrupy words of forgiveness.

Charlie, on the other hand, acted completely opposite. His face showed his anger. His body language screamed it. White knuckled fists. Red, verging on purple, face. Loud angry expletives whenever he did speak so far. There was no doubt that he was angry.

The only thing was, we weren't sure _what_ _exactly_ he was angry about. Was he angry about the fight? Was he angry Isaiah defended me? Was he angry on behalf of his tribal friends? Was he angry Isaiah's shirt had come off to reveal his scars? Renee hated seeing the evidence of her vileness.

Or was he angry on our behalf? Could it be possible? So far, he had only been even tempered and fair with us for the two months we have been here. He does his share of household tasks without complaint. He went grocery shopping with us when we needed groceries. He even attempted to cook the other day, and actually managed to make something edible. It was burned, but we could still eat it. Renee never would have even feigned interest in any of those things. She would have blanched at the mere thought and made us rue the day we ever suggested such things to her.

To top it all off, Charlie didn't even get mad when I reorganized his bathroom while cleaning a few days ago. Renee usually expected us to simply _know_ how to organize her personal things and retaliated if we made a mistake. Charlie simply asked me a few hours later where to find his extra razors and went about his business. It was a novel experience. In fact, everything about living with Charlie was new and refreshing. Except for this new incident, which would probably not be the last, our time with Charlie so far has been like a dream and a vacation all rolled into one.

A deep sigh left my father looking deflated as he stands in front of us, hands on his hips and head hung down. Surprisingly, the words that come out of his mouth are calm and collected. "Can either of you please, tell me what happened out there?"

I look to Izzy before I answer. I tell him all that happened from the moment Paul walked up to us. By the end of the retelling of events, Charlie is purple with anger again. Unsure of what is to come and sensing possible danger to me, Izzy positions himself slightly in front of me. This, however, was the wrong thing to do on my brother's part, because no sooner does he do this than our father explodes.

"Do you honestly think I'm going to hit her? Or you?" He yells, frustrated. "What indication in the past two months have I given either of you that I would raise a hand against you? You're my _children_, for God's sake! I would never harm either of you! I'm your parent. Parents are supposed to protect their children, not hurt them!" He is seething by this point.

Isaiah simply glares at him warily, waiting for the strike to come. And why wouldn't it? When people are angry, they strike out at the nearest, easiest target, right? This has been irrefutable fact our entire lives. This belief has kept us alive up to this point.

After a minute of tense silence, Charlie practically growls and whirls to look out the window behind him.

I realize after a few moments that maybe, just maybe, he won't be like Renee. That maybe, our dreams really did come true when we moved here. No more abuse. No more insults. No more servitude. No more fists swinging at us out of anger. Or worse, boredom.

My thoughts are interrupted by Charlie's soft words. "I'm sorry." Both Isaiah's and my own head jerk to attention. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I didn't protect you from whoever hurt the both of you. And I know someone did. I'm a cop. I know the signs. The two of you have them all. I've been trying to wait for you to get a little more comfortable around me before I try to pry." His shoulders begin to shake slightly as he continues. His voice comes out choked and scratchy. "I'm sorry, just so damn sorry, that I didn't fight harder for the two of you. That I let your mother take you that day. I thought..." A hiccup strangles his words. A deep breath and he forges on. "I honestly thought she would take care of you. Every child needs their mother. At least, that's what I thought, in my ignorance."

I look up at my brother and see the same hot tears coursing down his face that are mirrored on mine. Never in a million years did we expect a speech like this. At best, we hoped for a cordial, almost roommate-like relationship with our absent father. Could we hope for more without being burned.

Charlie wasn't through, yet, it seems. "The truth is, I was selfish. And afraid. And the two of you suffered for it. I know I could have given you a better life here with me. A damn sight safer one, too. But I let my selfishness and fear hold me back from doing the right thing by my children. And I am so fucking sorry."

I grab Isaiah's arm for support. He does love us? He does want us to stay? We're not an obligation? I mean, we had found the court papers that hinted at this, but... still, this was confirmation that our father didn't merely want to be a father. He wanted to be our dad.

Looking up to my brother again, I can tell we are thinking the same thing. But should we do it now. He was already feeling bad enough for letting Renee take off with us. How would he react to the truth, even filtered as we want to give it?

Stepping out from behind Izzy, I shuffle nervously. "We don't really mind answering some of your questions. If you want. But maybe not today-"

He whips around to face us, tears still wet and shining on his face. "Why not today?"

Isaiah is the one to answer. "The things that may be said aren't exactly pleasant. Perhaps it's better for you to prepare yourself for them. We could sit down when you're ready-"

"I'm ready now." Charlie states impatiently. Pausing, he seems to think about his words and tone. " What I mean is I really don't foresee a better time or state of mind to hear anything the two of you are willing to tell me. So if you're willing to do so now, then, please, let's get to it. Yes?"

We both nod our understanding. A few minutes later, after Isaiah changes into one of his own shirts, we are all back in the living room seated and unsure of where to begin.

Charlie leans forward in his seat and rests his weight on his elbows. "Not exactly an easy place to begin with a subject like this, is there?" He looks up at us sheepishly.

I shrug as Izzy replies. "I find it's easier to get unpleasant things done quick, like ripping off a bandage. Just ask the first question that comes to mind, I guess. Not like we're going by a script, right?"

He nods his head and thinks for a moment, obviously shifting through the plethora of questions queuing up in his mind. "Where did you get your scars? Or how, should I say?"

"Ah, that's easy. Beatings, strong and plenty." Izzy says this like we are talking about mundane things like laundry, but I know the memories are plaguing him as his eyes harden and he inches closer to me.

Charlie swallows thickly. "And who gave you those beatings?" His voice is rough when he speaks.

"Lots of people. Usually directed to do so by... someone... but not always."

The next question we could see coming, and it was the one thing we were most afraid he would ask. He already felt guilty enough. "Who directed them?"

I took a deep breath and sat forward so I wasn't hiding in the cushions anymore. Unable to meet his eyes and see his reaction to my words, I stared blankly into the cold hearth. "Renee."

A sort of choked, strangling sound fought it's way out of Charlie's throat and out from behind his gritted, and grinding teeth. Regaining a semblance of composure after a moment, he asked, "Why? What reason could possibly justify..." It seems he couldn't finish the thought.

I laughed humorlessly. "Why? Because she's a conniving, selfish, egotistical, uncaring, loose moral-ed, slave driving piece of sh-"

"I think he gets it, sis." It was rare for me to cuss. It was rare for me to show such anger, too, but for once I ignored my brother's well meaning attempt to control my temper.

Getting up, I took up the pacing Charlie had stopped and continued with my rant, letting all of my pent up anger and hatred fuel my diatribe.

"I mean, from the moment I can remember, there was nothing but angry words and uncalled for insults towards myself and Isaiah. You'd think it was bad enough we were left largely on our own with a ninety five year only woman with dementia until we were two years old. She couldn't even remember to feed herself, let alone two babies who need constant attention.

"And when that flimsy support was gone, instead of spending her precious money on any kind of care for us, Renee simply locked us in our room for up to 17 hours at a time. Not to mention the fact that she would leave us with no access to food or water. We had toys and each other. If we made even a small mess while she was gone, we got sent to bed without dinner. Can you even call saltines and water dinner?

"By the time we were three, she discovered that we could do menial tasks. Like, I don't know, cooking, cleaning, yard work. We basically became indentured servants. We cooked every meal. Cleaned EVERY inch of the house. Even cut the grass. If these tasks weren't done on time and absolutely perfect, then that's where the beatings would come in.

"But not by her. She wouldn't want to break her expensive manicure, now would she? No, she left the dirty work to her 'special friends'. You know, the men that would pay for her _charming _company. And boy did they do a good job of it. They must have wanted to please _mommy dearest_. And if those punishments weren't enough, if she didn't think we had learned our lesson, then we were 'grounded' and certain 'privileges' were denied us. Like food, water, speaking, sleeping, school, the bathroom. Trivial things like that." Why did it feel good to get this off my chest? I couldn't stop talking. It just kept pouring out of me and with every word it felt like a weight was lifting from my shoulders. With every tear that tracked down my and my brother's and father's faces, the words tumbled forth, eager to be spoken, to be heard.

I went on to tell Charlie how when Isaiah and I were five, Renee was forced to sign us up for kindergarten or work at home with us. When we learned how to do simple math, she deemed us ready to work outside the house. We were sent out to find 'jobs' around the crime riddled neighborhoods we lived in and bring back any money we made. Soon, she got fed up with the small amount we were bringing back and 'punished' us until we were properly motivated to bring in more. I told him how when we were eight, Isaiah and I got an under the table job at a seedy money laundering joint a few blocks from our home for the summer and made some decent money as message runners. We thought it was strange but the money was good.

Isaiah had hidden a good portion of the money we made and gave Renee just enough to be satisfied. The rest, I told him, we invested in local small businesses. Slowly, but surely, Izzy and I had built up our initial capital to such an amount that we were able to invest in the stock market. This, I said, only after extensive research on how the heck the stock exchange worked. To an eight or nine year old, concepts like these were considered foreign, but we had to learn. It wasn't long after this that our money began to multiply and we began making considerable profits.

"By the time we were twelve and the bitch was able to be kept comfortable and oblivious to the mundane workings of real life, life seemed to settle into a somewhat peaceful rhythm." I finished, my anger and pent up frustration finally spent for the most part. I doubted it would ever truly be gone, but I was lighter that I had ever felt.

"For the most part," Isaiah added. He had commented and added his own view as my near tirade progressed. "There were still incidents that cropped up, but there was nothing we couldn't handle by that point. Mainly, we kept our heads down and powered through." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

This whole time, Charlie had remained silent. I guess he didn't want to interrupt for fear we would stop sharing. Every once in a while, he would have fresh tears come to his eyes and spill over, but otherwise, he tried to remain stoic.

Now, he asks, "How is it that you came to know about me? You said Renee told you I was dead, right?"

Izzy and I nod and think of what to say.

"Renee got married a few months ago." I say slowly, planning what to say as I speak and hoping it comes out right. "We were finally able to relax a little with her gone on her honeymoon with Phil. But as the time for her to return grew closer, we became more anxious. Not wanting to get punished, we got started on a deep clean of the house from top to bottom four weeks before she was set to return. We were cleaning the master bedroom when we found it."

Izzy took over at this point. "It was a box full of papers. We didn't think anything of it at first, but as we shifted through it to organize into keep and burn, we saw what they were."

"Court papers." I spit the words out. "They were the custody papers between Renee and you. As well as the refile you submitted when we were six. They went against everything she had ever told us about you. About the father that had supposedly killed himself before we were even born. Curious and very suspicious of what we would find, we tore through the room and found so much more damning evidence."

"There was a notebook with a handwritten journal of how she spent your money and how you were too 'stupid' to ever be able to find your children. How she would never give up such cash cows as us and we were too 'beaten down' to ever even think of running away like she always feared we would." By this point, we were all past the point of anger, so I wasn't surprised by the emotionless tone of my brother's voice.

I laughed darkly as I thought of what we had done next. "In a bit of a fit at this point, Izzy and I kind of... well, we trashed the house. We destroyed everything, actually. Put wholes in the walls. Dismantled the appliances and electronics. We drained our accounts and took back any money we had given Renee that wasn't already spent and packed up our stuff and shipped it to you. A week later, we were on a flight with no loose ends, hoping you wouldn't send us away, that maybe... maybe you still wanted us." My voice cracks as I say that last part. I squeeze my eyes shut as Isaiah comes and hugs me close.

I hear Charlie get up from his seat and shuffle over to us. A second later, we feel his arms come around us in an embrace we all need. "Understand this, you two. Nothing in this world would ever make me not want to have the two of you with me. Of course I want you. I never, ever stopped wanting my children. I'm only sorry that it took this long for us to be together. I'll say this again. I know it won't always be easy to live with one another. We're human, problems come up, but I know that I will always love you both. We will always be a family. And I will always be here when you need me most. No matter what."

We stood like that for a long time, holding each other close to make sure the moment was real and not just a fever dream. The moment was broken, however, when my stomach growled out its hunger.

Charlie and Isaiah pull back, laughing.

I feel my face scrunch up in irritation as a blush steals over my face. "What? I'm hungry. It's past dinner time and we haven't eaten since around noon."

"I got it. I can whip something up real quick." Charlie moves towards the kitchen.

"NO!" Isaiah and I exclaim together. I continue on my own, not wanting to hurt my dad, but knowing it needed to be said. "Maybe it would be best to take you off the cooking schedule. Just to be safe."

He stops in the doorway and looks back at us, already pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Yeah, that's fair." It's his turn to blush now. "Chinese anyone?"


	5. Hope and New Friends

_Two weeks later_

** **Isaiah POV** **

Finally, life is good. It was good before the beach incident, but now... life is almost dream like. There is never any need to hide. We can speak our minds freely without fear of reprisals. Chores are divided evenly. And there aren't that many to do so it is a rather light load, leaving a lot of time for personal pursuits. The only thing that is largely on Izzy and I to take care of is dinner, and that is only after we practically forced Charlie out of the kitchen after so many failed attempts at making even _cereal_. That was a strange experience.

At first, Bella and I were a little leery of leaving the house, too. With Renee, the only time we were allowed to leave the house was to go to school and work. With school not started yet and no jobs, we were at a loss as to what the heck to do with ourselves.

Thankfully, Charlie fixed that almost immediately after the Big Talk, as we have begun to refer to it, he took two weeks off of work and spent the entirety of that time with us. Sometimes separately, sometimes together. If we left the house for any reason, we were together. My twin and I couldn't seem to separate that much, yet. Soon, maybe, but not yet.

First, we went to the movies. This was... interesting. We had seen a cinema on television and looked such things up online for Renee, but we were never permitted to go to one. Reading about such a thing and being there is a whole different thing. The smell of fresh popcorn, the sticky sweetness of soda. Candy, more candy than we thought could fit in one place. And so many people. The crowds made us a little nervous at first, but we got through it. Charlie never left our side for a minute. We even got to go see two movies. TWO! I couldn't stop smiling the entire night.

Next came an activity called bowling a few days later. We went during a week night, since apparently there were less people there on days like Mondays and Tuesdays. Bella could barely grip the ball and she kept dropping it. We finally figured out she was using the wrong size ball halfway through the game. After we replaced the ball, she became the master at bowling. It was astonishing, considering she couldn't play any other kind of sport without causing bodily harm to herself or those around her. Even with her handicap in the beginning, she still trounced me and Charlie combined. It was an eye opening experience.

Then we went mini golfing. Isabella _hated_ this one. She couldn't seem to sink the ball no matter how close she putted from. Neither could I, really, but I did make it in one. At least, I thought I did. Turns out it was a random gopher hole that had cropped up. When the ball _thunked _into the hole, we were all a little surprised to see the startled and angry mama gopher pop her head up and start practically berating us for our rudeness as she tossed the ball in a fit. It was hilarious. We didn't stop laughing for the rest of the night. We ended up calling the game quits and sitting in the parking lot, unable to journey home through our fits of tears and laughter.

Finally, Charlie's two weeks were up. I feared he would somewhat forget about us, but then he suggested something my sister and I jumped at. He suggested we shadow him while he worked. When we asked if we could go together with him, he said that was fine. When we asked if he would get in trouble for having two teenagers with him, he said that he was the Chief of Police, who was going to get him in trouble? Besides, it was rare for him to have to actually arrest someone and if he did get called to a 'situation' then he felt he could simply leave us at the station.

The next day, the shadowing had begun. And we loved it. We learned so much about Charlie. Everyone in town respected him, cared about him, and pretty much took care of him. There wasn't a day that went by that someone wasn't dropping in with a home cooked lunch made for him, and after the first day, me and Izzy, too. There was nothing that happened in Forks that Charlie did not know about.

When the Witaker family welcomed a new baby to the household, Charlie went to congratulate the young couple on the new addition, taking us with him. We were even allowed to hold the baby. Little Terissa was so tiny, I stood stock still, not wanting to hurt her. Charlie took a picture with his phone and showed it to me later. I looked like a dear in the head lights. Big round eyes, stiff, unyielding position, and a look of sheer terror on my face as I looked down into the little cherubic face of the newborn in my arms. I now know for a fact, kids are not for me. Too fragile and breakable. I'd die of a heart attack before they reached their first year.

When the Stanleys' daughter was caught shoplifting at the local Kwik-e-Mart, Charlie was the one to bring her in. She was scared spitless for a few hours, thinking her life was over and she was going to go to jail. I kind of felt sorry for her as I stood outside the holding room, waiting for Charlie to get back with the owner of the store. When the woman saw how repentant Jessica was and heard she was willing to pay for what she had taken and only done it for a ill conceived lark, Mrs. Benson decided to let her off with a warning. And a few days of unpaid labor at the store. Bella thought it was fair, and I agreed.

A few days before the start of our Junior year of high school, big news hit the town of Forks. At least, what was considered big news to such a small town. There was a large family moving into the old Masen Mansion out on the edge of town, slightly buried in the forest. Izzy and I didn't get what the excitement was all about, until we learned that it was rare for people to move to Forks. It was more common and expected for people to move away.

So, naturally, the Chief of Police felt it was his duty to welcome these fine people to our humble little town. On our way there, he told us all he knew about the family.

There was the father, Carlisle Cullen. He was a doctor that would start a position at the local hospital before the week was out.

His wife, Esme Platt Cullen, was apparently a stay at home mom and an interior designer. Izzy and I had a lot of fun teasing Charlie about hiring her to redecorate the house. It was funny to see him flustered, as it didn't happen often.

The couple had five foster children that were all about our age.

There were the Hale twins, Rosalie and Jasper, age eighteen. They would be starting their Senior year with their adoptive brother, Emmett McCarty. He was supposedly a linebacker sized brute, and Charlie had high hopes for this year's Forks High football team.

There were two Juniors that would be attending with Izzy and I, as well. Edward Cullen was our age and Charlie couldn't tell us much more than that. Seems his sources do have their limits. The other is a girl, seventeen as well, who apparently was as bubbly as they come and rather excitable. Alice Cullen was her name.

For some reason, my mind seemed to dwell on this name. Alice. I had always like that name. It seemed to sooth me for some odd reason. Oh, well. It doesn't matter, we're here now.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

** **Jasper POV** **

After close to sixty years, the Cullens were moving back to Forks. Most of them anyways. This was the first time I would be with them. So I was simply moving instead of moving back.

I looked around my new surroundings, taking in my 'family' as they went about unpacking. Esme and Rosalie were busy to my left, organizing the shelves of books and knickknacks that made up the far wall behind the television in the family room. Carlisle was in the large den to my right, trying to decide the best place to put Edward's monstrosity of a piano. Alice was directly in front of me, up on the first landing. She was hanging a few photos to help our story of being a family along. While I couldn't see Edward, I could hear him and Emmett in the game room upstairs, arguing about whether or not Playboy magazines were considered entertainment or not. While I agree they shouldn't go on the game room shelf as 'reading material', Edward didn't have to be such a judgmental prude about it.

"Everyone stop." Alice spoke at a conversational volume, knowing we would all hear her anywhere in the house. We all froze immediately. "Esme, pack the majority of the boxes back up. You, too, Carlisle." They set to their tasks right away, no questions asked. We all knew not to question Alice when she spoke with that tone.

Setting the box I am carrying down in the foyer, I move to help Carlisle with his task, but am pulled away towards the back doors by a demented pixie.

"Alice, what are you doing? Where are we going?" She doesn't answer me, and I can tell she is reciting something in her mind. Her lips are moving without sound and she has a look of pure concentration on her face.

As soon as we make it outside, we begin to run. I'm still half dragged behind her, but I easily catch up. By the time we are roughly five miles from the house, Alice comes to an abrupt halt and whirls around to face me with a big, Cheshire cat grin on her face.

"Alice-"

"Oh, you won't believe it, Jazz. You just won't believe it!" She jumps up and down on the spot excitedly. "They're coming. Both of them! We're going to meet them. Isn't it great?"

Her emotions are so strong, it's hard not to be giddy right along with her. My own confusion stops me, however. "Ali, what are you talking about? Who is coming? Who are we going to meet?"

This stops her bouncing and she calms only slightly. "Oh, right, I forgot I couldn't tell you until now." She takes a deep, mostly unneeded breath. "See, about six months ago when Carlisle decided Forks would be our next destination, I had a vision. In this vision, we were standing next to two people. A girl and a guy. I could tell they were similar in looks, but I couldn't see their faces. Too many decisions had yet to be made."

I nod to encourage her, feeling like a tornado is tearing through my mind. She couldn't be saying what I think she's saying.

"And then, three months ago, I had another vision. The same one really, but I could see their faces. Their twins. Nearly identical, really. Everything I saw in this vision gave me the impression that it's rare to find one without the other very close by. And I also realized the importance of these people." She paused for effect, keeping me waiting dramatically. I kind of wanted to shake the little psychic.

She squeeled happily before she said, "Jazz, they're our mates. And we're going to meet them soon. I only know that their last name is Swan. Everything else was pretty vague."

She continued talking, but I couldn't listen. I had a mate? I was going to meet her soon? How soon was soon, though? Today? Tomorrow? Next year? What was she like? Was she human? Would she like me? Do I even deserve her? Am I, the God of War, monster of the Southern Vampire Wars, really able to have a mate of my own?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Alice's feelings of exasperation. "Oh, Jasper. Enough. Yes, you have a mate. Everyone has one. There are no qualifications to meet so you get issued one. It doesn't work like that. You'll be meeting her a little later today. I don't know much about her, but I do know you may need to take things a little slow with her. Yes, she is human. She will love you, just as you will love her. Of course you deserve her and you are not a monster. I keep telling you this. When will you believe me?"

Apparently I was either thinking out loud or Alice had another vision. So, I was going to meet my mate today.

"Stop. You, my friend, need to relax." Alice spoke before I could get lost in my thoughts again. "And you may want to hunt. There will be three humans in our house in less than two hours and we both haven't fed in a week. Want to see who gets the biggest elk?"

Rolling my shoulders, I smirk good naturedly at her. "Why don't you just tell me who wins, Ali?"

She grins as she dashes away, throwing over her shoulder, "I do."

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

As we approached the house after our hunt, I felt five strong feelings of curiosity, with a little bit of irritation thrown in on Rose's part. That was to be expected. She was usually irritable in situations where she didn't know what was going on. Which, with Alice around, was often.

Walking into the kitchen, I saw everyone gathered at the dining room table, waiting for our return, no doubt.

Taking my usual seat to the left of Carlisle, I watched as Alice sat on the left of me. Everyone waited for her to tell them what is going on.

"In less than thirty minutes, the Chief of Police, Charles Swan, will arrive at the front door to welcome us to Forks." Alice said.

"Well that's nice, dear. Is that why we needed to repack the boxes?"

Alice smiles at Esme warmly. "Yes, it is. He knows we only got here yesterday and would be surprised to say the least if we were already unpacked and settled into the house. It normally takes a few days, if not weeks, for humans to accomplish such tasks."

"Why do I get the feeling there's more than just the Chief of Police popping in to say hello?" Rosalie asks.

"You're right, Rose." Alice turned to her as she spoke. "He's bringing his children along with him. They have apparently been shadowing him at work for the past two weeks."

A feeling of disgust accompanied Edwards disapproving scoff. "He lets snot nosed brats trail around after him all day in a place of work. I knew this was a small town, but I never realized it was full of idiotic hicks."

Before I could stop it, a growl rips its' way out of my chest at his words. "Shut your fucking mouth, Edward, or I'll shut it for you, pretty boy."

Esme admonishes me for my language halfheartedly before Alice continues. "No, Edward, he does not let 'snot nosed brats' follow him all day. His children are both seventeen years old and will be Juniors in High School this year. They are also twins, if you couldn't tell by their age. And to give you all what little details I've been able to pick up on the Swans so far, they only came to live with their father three months ago. Since then, they have been nearly inseparable. Chief Swan also took two weeks off recently to spend more time with them before school started. From what I understand, the man _never _stops working, so this came as quite the surprise. And one other thing, everyone._" _She looks around the table to make sure she has everyone's attention. "Under no circumstances are you to touch the girl. I can't tell why, all I know is that it will end very badly for the offending appendage."

The emotions filling the room range from shock, disbelief, and anger. The anger was all Edward, but the others were spread out amongst the others.

Carlisle was the first to speak. "Well, that is... something." Wow, Carlisle is speechless. Now I've seen it all. "Is there a reason we need to know all of this, dear? It seems an awful lot of information for someone we will only interact with minimally."

"They're our mates." I say gruffly, daring anyone to oppose me.

And there's the shock and disbelief again. Unable to handle such strong emotions for so long, I project a wave of calm to encompass the whole room. Everyone visibly relaxes.

"You're lying." Edward says belligerently. "Those children can't be your mates. The two of you are mated."

Another growl comes from me, but this time Alice voices her own displeasure at Edward's words with a ferocious growl of her own.

Rose clears her throat and looks at Edward when she speaks. "No, you ignorant fool, they are not, nor have they ever been, mates. They've been telling all of us this from the moment they arrived. You're the only dumbass in this whole family that refuses to believe them. Which I find rather odd, considering your mind reading."

Just as the argument is about to escalate, Alice makes an impatient sound. "Guys, we don't have time for this. They just pulled into the drive. We need to get ready."

Quickly, we all move with vampiric speed to make it seem like we are just a normal family unpacking the house. We all go back to our original positions, which puts me closest to the front door.

The cruiser pulls up the drive slowly, mindful of the encroaching trees we haven't been able to clear yet. When it pulls closer to the house I take in the conversation of its' occupants.

"Alright, you two, I want to make a good first impression on the Cullen family, okay? We want them to feel welcome here in Forks." This was obviously Chief Swan. His feelings reflected his words. There was a feeling of welcome, of sincerity, and a whole lot of paternal affection rolling off of him.

A male voice responded first. "Right, Dad. But can we ask a quick question?" The speakers emotions were rather confusing. He was afraid of something, but not something close by. He was worried and nervous of rejection. And he was very protective towards someone. His father must have nodded, because he went on. "How does one set out to make a good impression?"

I see everyone in the house stop their mundane, 'human' actions at this odd question. Curiosity was pouring off most of my family. Only Eddie had a steady supply of disdain for the ignorant speaker.

Chief Swan sighs softly as he opens his door and climbs out of the cruiser. The sound of three sets of feet are heard before he speaks again. "Isaiah, it's not something you really think about, son. Just..." He stops for a second. "Just smile and act respectfully, alright?"

"I think he was joking, Dad. Don't worry. We won't embarrass you." A girls voice said.

With that, their footsteps sound on the steps up to the porch and front door. A knock comes a second later.

Making sure to open it at a human pace, I answered the door to see the three of them standing before me. Chief Swan was front and center. As my eyes move past the older man, I only make it as far as the girl behind him to his left.

_ I'm sunk. _I think numbly. _She's beautiful. Perfect._

There's no way this creature could be mine. Long, wavy, mahogany brown hair cascades softly down her back to her waist. Her skin, what I could see that wasn't covered by jeans and a three quarter sleeve tee, was so pale it was nearly ethereal. Her eyes were the deepest, warmest pools of chocolate brown I had ever seen. I stand entranced, staring like a fool I'm sure. I can't help it, though. She is perfect. And she is mine. I know that on a soul deep level. Whatever comes next, this woman will be by me always.

"Now, son, don't just stand there staring blankly. Who's at the door?" Carlisle comes out from the den to greet our guests.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

** **Alice POV** **

I listen and watch from my perch at the top of the stairs as Carlisle introduces himself, greets our guests, and motions for them to enter the foyer. He apologizes for the disarray, saying that we had only arrived the day before and we're taking a few days before school and work to get settled into the place.

"Please. Don't worry about it, Dr. Cullen. I understand. I'm the one that decided to drop in unannounced, after all." Chief Swan was saying. While he had moved into the room with the confidence of an officer of the law, his children seem quite nervous as they stand beside him, holding the gifts they brought. "We just wanted to come and welcome you to Forks. We brought some things we thought you might like."

The twins take a tentative step forward to hand over their gifts. The girl hands Esme an obviously beautifully handmade blanket with depictions of the forest and ocean stitched into it. The boy, my mate Isaiah, hands Carlisle a basket full of what smells like home made soaps, gentle smelling scented candles, and even lighter scented bath salts. Strange. Usually, humans lay on the scent because of their lesser olfactory senses and it normally makes us ill to have such things in the house.

Just then, Isaiah's eyes flicker up to me as I rise from the stairs. His warm, brown eyes meet mine and hold my gaze. I knew he was my mate, but the instant connection I felt was even stronger than I anticipated. I freeze as a vision hits me.

_ Vision _

_Isaiah stands before me and Jasper out back on the patio. His sister is just inside, sitting at the the breakfast bar within sight, talking to Esme._

_"We know what you guys are. We've known for a while. We have a few friends like you. Though they don't follow the same diet."_

_Jasper asks him how he found out about us. My mate raises his arm and shows us a bite mark on his left wrist. He explains that a vampire tried to kill him and his sister when they were seven years old, but they were saved by a wandering nomad. The man then proceeded to tell the siblings a lot about the vampire world over the next few years. Including about the Olympic Coven. Or Cullen family, as we are known to friends._

_He looks right at me. "Don't worry. We won't tell anyone about what you are. We know the value of living a safe, normal life. We wouldn't want to ruin that for you. My sister and I just thought you all might like to know. Sorry if we worried you."_

_ End of Vision _

They know about us. About our kind. I look back to Isaiah and see he noticed my exaggerated pause. He tilts his head in silent question. He even knows about my visions! I nod, letting him know I saw. I'll have to tell Jazz later. This should make wooing them a bit easier.

"That's very kind of you." Esme was saying below as she accepts the blanket. Only about five seconds has passed. "Thank you so much for your kindness." She pauses, looking slightly ashamed as the twins step back to their father. "Oh, goodness, where are my manners? Please let me introduce you to my family."

By this time, the whole family, including myself, are gathered in the foyer with us. All except Edward, that is. I had heard him leave the house just as the car pulled up.

Esme motions to Rosalie and Jasper. "This is my eldest son and daughter, Rosalie and Jasper Hale, our twins." Next comes Emmett. "This is Emmett McCarty and next to him is Alice Cullen. Our other son, Edward, just stepped out before you arrived. To take a short walk, I believe."

The Chief shakes hands with everyone, not commenting on our cold skin. My mate and his sister don't move. Their father turns to them and introduces them to us. "These are my kids, Isaiah Mark Swan," he motions to my mate, "and Isabella Marie Swan." Our gaze turns to the girl as she nods shyly to us all. They both give amicable 'nice to meet you's but don't move to greet us any further.

A lull forms in the conversation and Emmett dives in to pick it up. It's nice to know we can always count on Em to have something to say. He asks the Chief what kind of activities there are to do around these parts. We already know, but there's no reason to clue him into that.

The Chief begins to expound on the idyllic sights and ample hunting and fishing opportunities in and around Forks. To be honest, he sounds like a tour guide. A good one, but still.

When he gets to the deep sea fishing, his radio gives a shrill, screeching beep. Excusing himself to step outside and answer, he is only gone a moment when he steps back in with a worried look now on his face.

Isabella asks her father what is wrong.

"I'm sorry, Mister and Missus Cullen, but could I possibly trouble you to keep the twins here with you for an hour or two?" He looks like he is battling with himself as he says this.

Esme's hand flutters to her throat. "Is everything alright, Chief Swan?"

I could almost see a mask come over the man's face. It seems to be a mask he is used to wearing, one of hardened disinterest and faked calm. "No, I'm afraid not. I just got a call that I'm needed over on the docks. A... situation came up that I'm needed for and I can't have teenagers along with me. And I'm afraid I don't have the time to take them home."

"Of course, Chief Swan, we will keep an eye on your children. Please, take all the time you need." Carlisle said.

A few moments later he is gone and the Swan twins are staring off after him, bemused, but otherwise unaffected.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

** **Jasper POV** **

The twins are a blast. After the initial awkwardness they felt at being left abruptly with virtual strangers, they settle right in as if they belong. And, I guess, they do. Being mates to vampires and all.

The true ice breaker had been when Alice stated bluntly and without a care that they knew what we were and that they were unafraid of us. This led to a long discussion on the hows and the whys of such an occurrence. It was terrifying to hear that I had been so close to losing my mate when she was only seven years old. To not have such a beautiful creature in the world would be beyond a shame, it would be a tragedy.

Now, a few hours later and well into the evening, Emmett, Alice, Isaiah, Bella, and I are in the game room, competing over a racing game and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Rosalie sits to the side, resolutely cheering for Emmett even though he's losing to Alice by far. Our parental figures have long since retired to their own activities and Edward has yet to return from his 'walk'.

"Izzy," Bella says to her twin. "Wanna bet I can't overtake you in about three laps?"

He looks at her suspiciously for a moment before grinning evilly. "Same stakes as always, Izzy?"

This is a nickname we discovered the hard way not to use or we would be steadfastly ignored by both of the twins until we used an acceptable form of their name. It was actually kind of funny to watch Emmett dancing around them singing 'Izzy, Izzy, Izzy. I'm getting dizzy!' I swear it looked like Bella wanted to hit him there for a minute before her brother stepped in and redirected her attention.

"Well, of course." They shake on it and commence the race.

The rest of us only paid half of our attention to the game. The rest was on the two of them. At first, Isaiah was in the lead and it lasted for two laps. Then Bella used a booster none of us knew was there and overtook her brother to win the race by a landslide.

Isaiah jumps up, a look of incredulity on his face as he looks at his sister. "No way! You have to had cheated. You suck at this game!" He says laughingly.

Instantly, every protective instinct in me rears its head. But Bella just laughs.

"No I didn't. And yes, I do suck at this game. But I am pretty observant."

Alice leans forward. "What do you mean, Bella?"

"I learned a few years ago while watching Isaiah play this game that there is a hidden cheat sequence in this particular track. Cheat only because I later learned that it was only put into it for the original programmers to use. Regular players aren't supposed to know about it. If you take your car through a particular series of ramps and hoops a couple of times. Then after the second repetition, a special 'booster' activates and victory is assured because the computer AI actually takes over for you and wins it in your place."

We all fall silent. I didn't know what to say. _Damn_, _my mate was smart._

"Wait. You forfeit the bet." Isaiah states triumphantly. "You didn't win on your own."

"Actually, brother, I never bet that I would _beat _you. I only said that I would overtake you. And I did. The AI took over and won the race after that." The feelings of righteous smugness rolling off of her was great. She liked being right about this.

Isaiah tried to argue some more, but in the end, conceded defeat and handed over her winnings.

"What is that?" I ask as a little white card is passed between them.

They explain about their longstanding betting token: a small, white piece of laminated card stock with the words 'Eternal Servitude' scrawled in a childish hand across the front in green crayon. This piece of paper has been passed back and forth since either of them could spell. Before that, it was a verbal agreement, instead of a written one. We all had a good laugh at this, even Rose.

Speaking of Rose, it was fascinating to watch her interact with the twins. Usually, she rejected change and anything that threatened the safety of her mate and family. But she was treating them like they were one of us already. It made me hope for the future.

Hope that, for once, I could have a happy ending.


	6. Trust and Time

_The Next Day_

** **Bella POV** **

"Izzy! Dad! Dinner is ready!" I yell up the stairs for the guys and turn back into the kitchen to finish setting the table. Grabbing the pitcher of iced tea from the fridge, I pour three tall glasses and set them at our place settings. Loud, thumping steps sound on the stairs as I get the flatware and napkins.

Charlie comes in the room with his nose in the air, sniffing and humming appreciatively. "What smells so good, Bells?"

I smile and take my seat across from my dad. "It's just meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Where's Izzy?"

Dad sits down and starts to dish out his portion. And a mighty big portion it is. He can never get enough of my food. "I saw him on some game console in his room when I stuck my head in. I told him to come down, but I'm not sure he heard me. He was wearing one of those weird headphone sets or something. I don't know. Give me a football I know my way around. Put me anywhere near electronics and they are liable to explode in my face. I'm lucky the TV likes me."

"I'll go get him. He probably didn't hear either of us." I walk out of the room laughing as I picture Charlie standing over the smoldering remains of a toaster oven a few weeks ago. He is not exaggerating when he says technology hates him. Just like physical activities hate me.

Approaching my brother's room at the top of the stairs, I hear the distinctive sounds of virtual weapons colliding. Of course he's playing his game. It was rare to find him doing anything else this time of day. After all, it was the only time his online gaming friend could play with him.

Opening the door, I take in the scene before me. Isaiah is seated on the floor at the foot of his bed facing the television before him. The game, _Son of the Empire: Legacy Uplifting_, plays out on the screen as I watch. My brother's character is helping another clear some dungeon, I guess. Looking closer, I see the screen name ^mprAlane28^ floating above the warrior's head.

So he is playing with his friend. I would normally leave him alone to play, but his dinner is getting cold. Reaching down when I'm next to my brother, I disconnect the audio plug of the headphones. The sound of the game crashes through the room and ^mprAlane28^'s rich, accented voice can now be heard.

"Don't let the lich master get away, man, block the corridor and empty your quiver. We've got this! We can finally beat this damn dungeon and claim the prize!" Oh, Al is going to hate what is coming.

Izzy looks up at me with a pleading look. "Yo, Al, I got a bit of a 'sister dilemma' on my end. She just took my headset!"

A garbled sigh comes over the speakers and the game pauses on the screen. "Hey, Bells! Come to steal your brother, I assume?"

The look on Izzy's face is priceless. If it weren't for the fact that we always make it a point to eat together at least once a day, I would leave him alone. Hoping my face shows how sorry I am, I reply, "Yeah. It's dinner time and he's gotta come eat. You know how it is."

A new voice, a high, almost singsong voice, joins in over the speakers. "Don't worry about it, Bella. I've come to do the same. Come, brother mine, it is time to eat."

Two exaggerated male groans are our answers. I can't help but to laugh. Isaiah and Al are so similar, it is almost eerie. Izzy has said the same about myself and the other voice, but I just don't see it.

"Bye guys. I'm sure you two will be playing together soon!" I call as I lead Izzy from the room and down the stairs.

"Completely not cool, sis. We were almost done, you know?" He grumbles.

I just shake my head. I know he's not really upset. Besides, his stomach growls loudly at this point, causing us both to come into the kitchen laughing.

We serve up our food and dig in, settling into silence for a few minutes as we all enjoy the food.

"I meant to apologize to you two. About yesterday. I'm sorry I had to just leave you with the Cullens like that out of nowhere." Charlie says after he finishes off his tea.

"Don't worry about it, Dad. Really." I look to Izzy and see he feels the same. "We had fun yesterday. The Cullen family is pretty cool. They invited us back any time, too." I get up to fetch more tea for everyone and resume my meal.

Isaiah grins. "I think we'll take them up on that some time. Emmett has some pretty awesome tastes when it comes to games. He even found one Izzy could beat me at." Father and son start talking about games they have both played. It kind of surprises me. I didn't know Charlie even knew what video games were, let alone having played a few.

I shake my head at them and tuck into my meal. My mind wanders back to yesterday after Charlie left.

The Cullen coven was very nice. Nicer than most vampires my brother and I usually meet. Rose was fun to talk to. She knew so much about cars and mechanical workings. I know how to care for a car's bare minimum need in the abstract, but after a talk with her, I felt a little better informed. Seriously, the girl was a walking encyclopedia of car knowledge. Emmett was a scream, too. He always had something funny to say. It seems like no one takes him seriously though. There is so much more to him, I just know it. Carlisle and Esme, while they didn't stick around for long after the initial discussion, were very charming. Especially Esme. She seems like the mom Izzy and I always wished Renee would be. Then there is Jasper and Alice.

The latter reminded me of a spritely little pixie I had seen on TV once. Always flitting here and there, never stopping for more than a moment. And even when she did sit down, she was still always moving. Fidgeting with something, talking with her hands, or just plain bouncing in her seat. Strangely enough, I caught Isaiah watching her most of the night. The interest I saw in his eyes is something I've never seen in my brother before.

Jasper, on the other hand. His blonde hair falling down to his chin looked so soft it might be able to rival a girl's and it made me want to run my hands through it to verify this. His strong jaw gave no doubt that he was a man to never take no for an answer, yet his eyes were warm and kind while we talked. I kept finding myself wanting to scoot closer to him throughout the day. Several times I had to stop myself from lean towards him and breathing in his scent of crushed cinnamon and sun tanned leather. Mouthwatering!

I feel a blush creep up my cheeks as my mind continues on this path.

A throat clears across the table, drawing me from my wayward thoughts. Charlie smiles at me questioningly, but decides to let it go apparently. He gathers his dishes and gets them ready for washing.

Isaiah is looking at me strangely. "Whatcha thinking about, Isabella?

Trying to compose a passive expression on my face, and probably failing, I say, "Nothing important." I look upon the table and see that we have finished the meal. I get up to clear the table and set to doing the dishes as Charlie goes into the living room for his sports programs.

Running a sink of water, I see Isaiah pick up a dish towel and get ready to begin drying. I kind of wish he would just leave me to my fantasies... _ahem, _thoughts. But I know it's a fruitless wish, we always talk about what is bothering us. There isn't much, if anything, that we keep from each other.

Taking up the first dish I wash, he dries, puts it away, and comes back for more. "Alright. You know I know you're lying. What's up? Why the blush?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about." I say stubbornly. I don't want to tell my brother I was fantasizing about a guy I just met _yesterday._ No way!

"Come on, Izzy, I know you. You blush a lot, but you don't blush over _nothing_." When I say nothing, he sighs and puts away another dish. "Maybe I can guess. Hmm... is it... something to do with our past?" I remain silent and continue washing. "No, then. Okay. I got this. Give me a second." He thinks as he puts away the plates. "Is it something to do with the Cullens?" I hate my blushes. They always give me away. "It is! Okay, okay. So... is it the big one, Emmett?" Just go away, you nuisance! "No, again." I move on to washing down the flat surfaces in the kitchen and hope he'll just let the subject drop like any good brother should.

I think he will as a few minutes pass and he has said nothing. But I'm wrong.

"It's Jasper, isn't it? The blonde Texan you couldn't stop watching all day yesterday?" The blush that comes to my cheeks puts all of my other blushes to shame. "Ha! I knew it. You have a crush on him, don't you? Come on, you can tell me. Do you like him? Come on, dish the details, girl."

Irritation bubbles to the surface at his needling and my words come out harsher than I mean them to. "Yeah, and what if I do? It's not like you have any room to talk with the way you were watching Alice for hours." I throw my cleaning rag towards the sink and stalk out of the room, tears already burning my eyes.

** **Isaiah POV** **

I am such an idiot. How else did I expect her to react to my teasing? She may act like things don't affect her the same way as they do me, but I know her reaction to Jasper confuses her as much as my reaction to Alice confuses me.

We watched them for hours yesterday after Charlie left. For me, it felt like every time I tried to look away, something would draw my gaze back to her. I just wanted to go to her and hold her close, knowing she would be still in my arms whereas she wasn't anywhere else. I wanted all day yesterday to pick her up and run with her. Protect her and Bella with my life.

And that scared me. I have never wanted to protect anyone but my sister and myself. No one else has mattered to me like that before. And this girl evokes such a reaction in me after only a few hours of interaction. And we weren't anywhere near each other the whole time. Neither Izzy nor myself allowed ourselves to be too close to any of them. We knew how bad the blood thirst could be for their kind and we usually try not to make it worse for them when we come across a friendly vampire.

I have never had romantic feelings for another. Nor has Izzy. Neither of us have ever been given the opportunity to socialize in such a fashion. So how were we supposed to cope with these strange feelings just jumping out at us? I don't feel we are equipped for situations like these. We don't have the tools necessary to work through normal life, let alone the tools needed for any kind of personal relationship. We have only _just _begun developing an actual familial relationship with Charlie.

_ Okay, Isaiah, calm down. You're only going to give yourself a panic attack or something. You don't even know if the girl likes you. Or if Jasper likes your sister._

Oh, god! What if they didn't like us? What if we were getting our heads screwed on backwards for no reason? I mean, what the hell is there to like about me? My sister is a wonderful, gentle person and anyone would be lucky if she chose them. But me? I'm a socially inept adolescent that barely knows how the world works enough to make money. And worse, my 'situations' have steadily been growing worse every time I leave the house. No matter what I do, some little thing will trigger a memory and suddenly I'm living it. Afterwards, my temper is usually elevated drastically and if Izzy isn't there to anchor me I tend to strike out at the first person to even mildly irritate me. Thankfully, so far it only seems to be at my father and he seems to understand and not take it to heart. But, seriously, what girl would want to deal with a socially awkward, spastic, hothead like me. It would be hell.

"Isaiah? Son, what's wrong?" Charlie's deep, gravely voice pulls me out of my ever increasing worry for a moment.

Glancing up, I see him standing in the kitchen doorway looking worriedly at me. I turn to finish straightening the counters and let the water out of the sink before answering. "I'm fine. Just thinking." God my voice sounds like I gargled glass.

"That's not what it looked like to me. I don't know what that dish towel did to make you so mad, but I doubt it deserved to be choked like that." His attempt at humor falls flat in the silence that follows his statement. "You know you can come talk to me anytime, day or night. Right, Isaiah? I mean it. Any time."

I throw a vague 'yeah' over my shoulder and crash up the stairs, pausing outside my bedroom door at the top of them. Maybe I should check on Izzy? She was pretty mad, it seemed. Should I give her some more time to cool down?

_ No, don't be a coward. Face the music. I need someone to talk to. She needs someone to talk to. Maybe together, we can work out our strange mental issues a little at a time._

Squaring my shoulders, I march past my door and down the short hall to my sister's room.

I knock on the door, tell her it's me, and wait for a reply.

A muffled sound comes through the door. It could be either a 'come in' or a 'go away'. I can't tell.

"Izzy, I can't hear you, sis. Please answer -" The door snicks open before me, giving me silent permission to enter.

I step tentatively into her room and take in the sight before me. She is seated cross legged on the edge of her bed. Her arms are hugging one of her many throw pillows and her face is hidden on top of it. Slowly, I approach her side and sit next to her. Trying to think of the right thing to say, we sit in silence for a few minutes.

"I shouldn't have said that. It was adolescent of me. I'm sorry." I say softly.

"Mm ahm ammemm-mm-mm!" Her voice is so muffled I could barely hear any sound through the pillow.

"Come again?"

Izzy throws her head back in a exasperated fashion and sighs loudly and dramatically. "We are adolescents, you idiot. It's only natural for us to act like it from time to time. And I shouldn't have reacted like that. I'm just..."

"Confused. Yeah. I am, too." I take a deep breath and ask the question that really needs to be asked. "Do you feel the same as when I look at her? When you look at him?"

She turns to me and thinks for a minute, no more clarification needed. The silence stretches until I think she may not answer. I would understand if she didn't. I barely knew how to put my feelings into coherent thoughts. Forget actually formulating sentences.

But then she throws herself, pillow and all, backwards to sprawl out on her bed. "I feel like I shouldn't be where I am right now. I should be with him. By his side. I feel like if I don't see him soon, something inside is going to break away to go find him without me, leaving me incomplete, a piece missing until I go to him." I nod when she looks to me for validation. She's voicing my thoughts perfectly. She was always better with words than I was. "And that's just so wrong! We haven't even known them for more than a full day and we feel like this. How crazy is that? What the heck are we supposed to do? Do they even see us that way, or is it just us? What does a person do to find out if another person likes them? Because to be honest, I doubt it's stalking them like the back of my brain is screaming at me to do right now."

I flop down beside her and fold my hands on my stomach, kind of wishing I had a pillow, too. No sooner did the thought cross my mind did one smack me in the face. Readjusting so I'm hugging mine like she is, I begin to think. But thinking about this is only leading our poor brains in circles. Like I thought earlier, we don't have the tools to figure this out for ourselves.

Then an idea pops into my head. We don't have the tools, but maybe we know someone who does. I turn to Izzy and I'm sure she can see the planning gleam in my eyes.

"What are you thinking?" She asks suspiciously. She has reason to be suspicious, too. The last time I had this look on my face, I believe I was dismantling the vacuum in an attempt to backwards engineer the thing in order to make it 'better'.

"We should go talk to Charlie." I say as I sit up.

"About this?"

"Yes. Come on." I take her pillow and drop the two at the foot of the bed.

"But-" She tries to protest as I pull her up and begin to lead her from the room.

"No, buts. We _need_ to talk to Charlie. He'll have answers for us."

"How do you know this?"

"Because he was a teenager once? I think." Is it possible our father was once our age? The possibility boggles my mind, to be honest.

Going downstairs, we see Charlie is not in the living room and would not be returning as the television is switched off. Peeking down the short hall in the foyer, I note his bedroom door is closed. He must have taken himself off to bed since I went upstairs.

Dragging Izzy along behind, I knock on Charlie's door and listen for a reply. Nothing. I knock again. Still nothing.

"Isaiah, maybe we should wait til the morning."

I might have agreed if we didn't start school the next day and Charlie started back to work. We need answers sooner rather than later. Decision made, I turn the knob and poke my head inside.

Yup, there he is, out like a light. Pushing the door open all the way, I pull Bella with me as we approach the bed. Letting her go a couple feet away from him, I kneel on the edge of the bed and lean towards his position in the center.

Reaching out my hand, I rest it on shoulder. I get no reaction.

I give him one good shake. Nothing again.

Hmm. I reposition myself for quick escape and give him a round of rough shakes, jostling him awake.

He bolts upright in bed and I jump back and crouch down by the bed, peeking over the edge, gauging his reaction.

"Huh. What?" He registers our presence in the room. "What is it? What's wrong, kiddos? Where's the fire? Is someone in the house?" As he speaks, he leans over and flicks on his bedside lamp to add some light to the room.

_ Huh, Dad's a boxer briefs guy. _

I stand up from my crouch and sit on the edge of the bed, facing him. "There's no problem. At least, not with the house, anyways." I pause for a deep breath. "You said we could talk?"

He stares blankly at the both of us for a moment, sleep still probably fogging his mind. He shakes vaguely like a dog and then blinks up at us again. "Talk? Uh, yeah, sure. What did you need to talk about?"

What do we need to talk about? What _don't _we need to talk about? Let's stick with the most relevant for now though. "Dad, how do you know if you like someone?"

From the look on his face, this was the last thing he expected me to ask. He gets up from the bed and heads for his en suite bathroom. We hear the taps turn on and water splash. A few seconds later, he's back with us with a freshly scrubbed face, a bit perkier than before.

"Okay. Let's see if we can work through this. Can you explain what you mean by 'like someone'?" At our blank expressions, he says, "Is it like friends? Like family? Or... more?"

Izzy is the one to answer. "We think 'more'? But, we don't know how to tell?"

"You kids don't ask easy questions, do you?" His question is obviously rhetorical, but I can feel the frustrated irritation wafting off my sister as if it is my own.

"If it was easy, we would have the answers already." She says petulantly.

Charlie watches her for a moment, testing the mood before going on. "You're right, of course. Sorry. Let me think. I don't want to get this wrong." He begins to pace before us. Soon, Izzy is sitting next to me on his bed as we watch him move back and forth before us. "How do you know you like someone? How?" He begins talking to himself, thinking his answers through carefully. After a few more moments of both silent and vocal thought, he stops and turns to face us.

"Let me answer your question with some questions of my own. Maybe we can work from there. Please bear with me, I know it might get a little frustrating." I look at my twin and we both shrug and nod. Can't hurt. "Do you both find yourself thinking about the other person a great deal?"

Only every other thought. No, that's not much at all. We both nod.

"Okay." He thinks again before asking. "Does it make you feel... happy to think about this person?"

I answer for us both. "Yes, but it confuses us, too."

"I suppose it would if you've never felt like this before. Okay. Last one for now. Do you feel... bereft... when you're... away from them for too long?"

Just like my soul is being ripped in two.

"Okay. No need to answer that one. I think I got it from your faces." He lets out a sigh and leans against the wall across from us. "I won't ask who you two are talking about. That's for you guys to work out and come to me with on your own. But I will tell you that I hope you will take it slow. Don't let them talk you into anything you don't want to do. Live your life and don't change who you are for anyone. If they can't like you for you, then they aren't worth wasting your time over. Trust me, I learned this the hard way."

My brow furrows as I look at my father. "So, we like them?"

He smiles. "Yes, Isaiah, I can tell you with near certainty that you like them. How much, you will reveal to yourselves with time."

"But how do we know if they like us?" Bella's voice is small and unsure.

"Ah. Well, that one is a little... trickier. See, unless you want to just walk right up to them and ask them straight out about their feelings, then the answer may take some time to acquire." I'm a little disappointed at this, but I wait for Charlie to continue. "Basically, you just have to spend time with them. Get to know them. Let them get to know you. The good and the bad. Be honest and trust that they're honest with you."

Trust? Trust someone other than Isabella? That... might take some time, if at all. I couldn't fathom trusting someone with any part of me. When I look over at my sister, I see she is thinking along the same lines as me.

"Guys, I know it may be hard. Just take it slow. Let it progress naturally, if at all. Don't force yourselves into anything you're not ready for. If they can't bring themselves to understand the both of you, then you don't need them anyways."

Well, it isn't exactly the miracle answer we were looking for when we barged in here, but it was more than we had before. Getting up, we hug our father good night and thank him for the talk and take ourselves off to bed. I have a feeling we won't be sleeping much tonight. We've just been given a heck of a lot to think about.


	7. We Learn New Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so just a little bit of reference material because I couldn't think of a plausible way to fit this into the story, the seating chart for the Chemistry class is as follows:  
A B C  
F E D  
G H I  
J
> 
> Probably unneeded, but I felt I should add this just in case. It kept nagging at me.

** **Alice POV** **

Yesterday, when the twins were in the house, Jazz and I were so happy. I don't remember laughing that much in my entire life. Just having them in our presence made it seem like life was not just worth surviving, but that it would be an honor to go through it with our mates.

Now, everything just seemed so... lackluster. The moment that Isaiah and Isabella, or Bella as she asked to be called, left our respective sights, all life seemed to bleed out of Jazz and myself. The only reason I dragged us off the couch this morning and out of the house to hunt was because I knew that Jazz would have a rough time of it if he didn't feed in preparation for tomorrow. Tomorrow heralds another start to another torturous, hormone-filled school year.

"Alice, you need to feed, as well." Jasper's tone was flat and emotionless.

Looking up, I see he's already drained three of the five elk, keeping the other two pretty much corralled against a cliff face in preparation of my meal. Smiling at him, I set to the task with robotic movements. I had no enthusiasm I could muster for my meal. I just couldn't seem to feel anything but loneliness. I whimper at the overwhelming wave of isolation that crashes through me.

"Crap. Sorry, Ali. I was projectin' again." With those words, my feelings are cut in roughly half.

Hiding the bodies, we begin to wander back towards the house, in no hurry to return until the morning. Our path weaves in and out and between the trees of the forest, neither of us really paying attention to where we are going. I don't know about Jasper, but I was content to amble around aimlessly until I could see my mate again. I kind of wish he was a vampire, then he would feel the same need to be near me as I have to be near him. But that's a selfish thought. I don't want my mate to be different than he is. I don't know everything, but I do know that I will love him beyond anything or anyone I have ever loved before.

I freeze in the growing darkness surrounding us, gasping as my mind is sucked under into one of my rare, debilitating visions. During times like these, I'm glad Jasper knows not to leave my side. I cannot protect myself. I can't even see beyond the images overtaking my mind. It's a pain in my neck, but usually visions such as these are to be heeded or else. Not only for what they mean for the future, but because of what I'm able to learn, strangely, of the past. In these very rare types of visions, I can not only see a future event or events, but I can also see a vague impression of what led to the decisions that cause it. And the impressions I'm getting make me want to curl up on the forest floor and bawl my eyes out.

What could be minutes or hours later, I blink my eyes rapidly, trying to dispel the last vestiges of my unsettling, yet revealing, vision. Again, I want to cry at what I've seen. I don't know the details of what happened, but I can see a rough outline of my-. No, mine _and _Jasper's mates' lives.

A choked sob leaves my mouth before I can reign it in. It sounds broken and grating in the silence of the forest surrounding me.

Not even a second passes before Jasper is directly before me, making sure I stay on my feet and looking into his eyes. Of course he would know what I'm feeling. He's an empath. I feel a wave of calming comfort wash over my razed nerves. I only wish it could help the soul deep pain I feel within at what I just learned.

"Alice, what is it? What did you see? Are our mates alright? Do we need to go to them sooner?" He shoots off question after question, not giving me a chance to answer. I wouldn't be able to at the moment anyway. Not with this new information I'm trying and failing to assimilate into my usually impervious vampire mind. He gets impatient, though, and gives me a small shake. "Come on, Alice, say somethin'. PLEASE!"

"Jasper," my voice is small and weak. "You're projecting again, brother." The anxiety, worry, and fear filling the space around me was enough to choke several horses, let alone one small psychic and an empath.

He lets me go, growling in frustration as he does. Pacing in front of me, he waits for me to gather my thoughts. I can still feel those harsh emotions coming from him, but they are much less now.

Taking a few deep breathes, I close my eyes and start 'filing' in my mind. It only takes me a second or two, but it is still a grueling process on my part. By the time I'm done, venom tears are welling in my eyes, never to be shed, but no less painful for that.

I choke on the words that come forth. "Oh, Jasper, it's so much worse than I thought." He stops and looks at me intently, waiting for me to continue, knowing I will reveal all I can given time. "I thought... when I had the last vision, I honestly thought... why would I imagine it to be anything more than benign neglect?" He growls at what I know is him imagining _anyone_ neglecting his mate. I know he won't like what is to come. "But how could I possibly know? How could anyone let that happen?"

"Alice, not everyone thinks in riddles like you. Please, for the love of GOD, give it to me straight."

"I'm trying to figure out how to say this without you going all 'God of War' on me. I like being in one piece and don't relish the thought of being scattered hither and yon because I'm a harbinger of bad news!" I say heatedly. Thankfully, he shuts up and takes a few calming breathes.

A few moments pass before I speak again. "I don't know details. You know how these things work. I've told you."

He nods curtly, but says nothing.

"But what I do know, is they've been hurt, Jazz. Badly."

A growl rips through the heavy silence at my words. I can see he's trying to control himself, but his pupils are blown out, turning his eyes a dark black despite having just fed. A clear sign I am now speaking to the Major himself.

"Major, please just bear with me. And remember that what I'm about to say happened to my mate, as well."

The answer is silence, but at least I'm still whole. I can live with that.

"I don't know what actually happened, but I do know that they were caused pain on multiple occasions." The Major growls, but I continue anyways. "Their... mother, I think, wasn't very... nice? But she never personally hurt them. Like I said, it's unclear. I know they went hungry and weren't allowed to socialize. I got the impression that threats were involved if they talked outside of the house. I wish, and I don't wish, that I knew more. That's all I know of the past, and it is so frustrating."

I look to the now silent Major to gauge his reaction. I feel no projection, so that's a good sign.

"What else I saw in my vision might make you a little happier." I hope he'll take the bait and work his way out of his anger. Instead, he merely arches a fine, blonde brow and waits. Sighing, I say, "In the vision, which I think will happen tomorrow morning some time, Isaiah and Bella will make a bet. It involves the two of us. They want to spend more time around us. To get to know us before making any kind of decision besides this one." Joy breaks out over the Majors face, and that is unsettling on such harsh features. "But there's just one problem I can see."

When he speaks, his voice is cold and rough. "And what is that, seer?"

"If we misstep, even a little and even once, there's a chance it can all fall apart. The trust we will gain is... fragile, to say the least. They don't trust anyone. At least, aside from their father, and that is only insofar as trusting him not to send them back to their mother, I think."

"'All fall apart'? You mean, I can lose her, lose my Bella, if I... what exactly?" His abject fear and uncertainty is apparent even to me.

"I don't know!" I grasp my hair and start to pull. I try to look further in the future, but too many decisions have yet to be made. I can't see any more than I already have.

** **Jasper POV** **

I can feel the frustration and anger coming off of Alice. I know she's trying to give us both all the answers she can, but even she doesn't know everything.

Slowly, I take in a few deep breaths, trying and failing to cool my temper. To think that anyone, especially my mate's own _mother,_ could be responsible for causing her harm. No one should be allowed to do so and live!

_ Calm down, Major. Think of other things, dammit! There's nothin' you can do about her past sufferin' for now._

Apparently, my Bella wants to get to know me. That's something. But I know she'll run away screaming once she finds out about my past. Finds out about the atrocities I committed under the command of Maria. There's no way she would want to know me after that. And even if by some miracle she didn't turn away from me after learning of that, there's no possibility of her sticking around if she saw the result of my time in the newborn armies.

I have so many scars, there is barely a spot on me that isn't marked in some way, shape, or form. No woman would find that anything less than disturbing. Even Alice recoils when she sees my scars, and she's my best friend, aside from Peter.

And, think of the devil his self, my phone buzzes in my pocket. Taking it out, I open it up to see a text from the irreverent fucker.

_ Aw, I love ya, too, Major Dickhead! And don't worry. Just go with the flow. Everything will happen naturally. Just remember to take it slow, and y'all won't blow it. _A whole lot of the tension I was feeling a moment ago dissipates. I show the message to Alice and I can feel her emotions mellow out drastically.

That was Peter, just knowing shit about everything. His gift isn't all knowing, but it knew quite enough.

A few seconds later, another texts pops up on screen.

_ It ain't a gift, shithead. And me and the missus will see you soon. Can't wait to meet your kick ass mate. ;)_

Great, Peter is coming. This will be a gasp. He and Edward don't get along very well. Scratch that, they get along about as good as a house on fire. There's nothing left in their wake. And by the time one or both of them leaves the other's space, we are all irritated out of our minds and itching for a fight.

"So, Peter's coming? That will be nice. For the most part." Alice says as she peeks at my phone.

"Now we just have to find a way to keep Peter and Edward apart while still formulating ways to get to know our mates." I look at the sprightly little female by my side.

We both burst out in tension relieving gales of laughter.

"Yeah," Alice gasps out between fits. "That should be easy. What could go wrong?"

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

_The next day at school..._

I need to ask Carlisle again why we must go through this torture year after year. Surely there are better ways we can blend in with society. 'Homeschooling', perhaps. We already know this material. And yet we sit through it year after fucking year.

And worse, this year, I have another reason I despise sitting through these droning lectures. Every second I'm sitting here is another second I can't see my mate. Oh, I know she would still be stuck in class, but at least I could possibly catch a glimpse of her through a window or perhaps-

_Stalker alert!_

I really need to get a handle on this whole newfound mate business. Or else things could be getting pretty weird from here on out. I shudder to think of the possibilities if I didn't see my mate soon. The ache in my chest is already nearly unbearable. The white noise of the teacher's lecture cuts off abruptly as the classroom door opens after a cursory knock to admit two people. One of which I couldn't be happier to see!

"Can I help the two of you with something?" Professor Henson asks, obviously expecting there to be some mistake. This class is 12th grade Chemistry. Everyone in town, and probably out of town as well, knew that the Swan twins were only in 11th grade.

Isaiah steps in front of his sister and hands the man a slip of paper and a packet.

The teacher reads the note and then proceeds to flip through the packet, make that two packets, quite quickly. When he's done, he says in a voice that would not be able to be heard by non-vampires, "Son of a bitch, are these the wonder twins or something? What can I even teach them?"

_ What the heck was in those papers?_ I think to myself. I look to Alice beside me to see if she knows anything. With a quick shake of her head, I turn back to watch my mate curiously.

"Well, welcome to Chemistry. Why don't the two of you take that empty table in the back?" He directs them towards the only empty table in the room.

YES! They'll be directly in front of us. This is perfect. And even better than that, my Bella sits right in front of me. I feel like a giddy child. I peek over to Alice, and see she's bouncing in her seat. This isn't anything new, but I take it as confirmation that she's just as excited as I am.

As they turn to get their notebooks from their bags, my eyes connect with Bella's gaze and I'm stuck. Her warm chocolate eyes draw me in and hold me. I can't look away. A smile replaces my usually stiff expression and a blush creeps up her neck and over her face.

_ Hot damn! That's adorable. But I wonder how far the blush goes. Hmm..._ Bad Jasper! Slow, man, slow. Much slower than that. Snail's pace compared to _that_, you idiot!

Bella swallows thickly and I can feel a wisp of desire coming from her. But it is largely overshadowed by a huge helping of fear and apprehension. She whips back around in her seat and begins to shuffle things around in front of her. It's then I notice her brother is doing much the same thing. In fact, many of their movements and mannerisms seem identical.

When one flips open a notebook, the other does the same. When one picks up a pen, the other does the same. One fidgets in their seat, and again, the other does the same. I wouldn't say their copying each other, because the actions are taking place simultaneously. It's more like a well choreographed and long practiced dance being acted out before my very eyes. They're so in sync, it's hypnotic.

Alice pokes me in the side to get my attention. Motioning towards them under the table, I can tell she's thinking the same things I am.

A clacking noise gets our attention at the front of the class. "Alright. The bell is about to ring for lunch in fifteen minutes, everyone. But before I let you go, I have a little announcement. There is a group project in my syllabus for the year-" The classroom groans as a whole. Even Bella and her brother, though they seem much quieter than the rest of the children. "That's enough of that. I don't want to do this any more than you do, but I've recently been informed my teaching plan lacks group activities to build _team work_ or something. So suck it up, you lot." He stares the room down for a moment. "It will be in five groups of four. I will call out the table pairs. Tables A and F will be group one. Tables B and E will be group two. Tables C and D will be group three. Tables G and I will be group four. Tables H and J will be group five."

My god, lady luck is on my side today! Alice and I will be working with our mates! We couldn't have planned this better if we had had months. Instead it just gets thrown into my lap like a gift from the heavens. I am on cloud nine, and I'm never coming down!

"I want everyone to turn to their partner table and get ready to receive the project specifications. And before you ask," He holds up his hand, looking towards table G then I, "yes, you may move to sit with your group."

There was a bustle of activity as everyone does what they are told. Bella picks up her notebook and spins around on her stool to face my table, her brother perfectly mirroring her.

Thankfully, there is no fear this time. She's nervous, but I can live with that.

I give her a gentle smile. "Fancy seein' you here, Bella." Out of courtesy, I greet her brother, but my attention is quickly back on my Bella.

"Yeah. I didn't expect to have any classes with you. I mean, with the Cullens." My smile just broadens at her little slip.

"To be honest, we didn't know what to expect when we came to school today." Isaiah chips in. "Our last school was at least quadruple the size of this one and that's only counting the class size. It was rare to see the same faces in class that one would see out in town and what not." He seems to be babbling, but I let him continue. It just gives me more time to gaze at Bella as she fiddles with her hair.

"What was it like where you used to live?" Alice asks, bubblier than usual, if that is possible.

Bella tucks her hair behind her ear and answers. "It was... sunny."

"And warm." Isaiah adds.

Just then, Professor Henson comes to our group to hand over the details on the project. Reaching over Isaiah's shoulder, he tosses the single sheet of paper onto the table before us, barely looking up as he moves on. Because of this, he misses the visceral reaction of Isaiah. He flinches hard enough to nearly throw himself off his stool. Quickly gaining his balance, however, he positions himself better to protect his sister and watch the man as he moves about the room until he returns to his desk to fiddle with his computer.

When he does turn back to the table, we're all watching him. His eyes are clouded with memories. I can practically see them playing through his mind. His breathing picks up and his fists clench. I hear his teeth begin to grind as his pupils dilate, eating up his entire iris. The pure, unadulterated anger coming off the boy is far beyond what the situation might normally call for. If I was to hazard a guess, I would say my mate's twin has PTSD. But from what?

Seeing her brother's dilemma, Bella moves her chair closer to her twin and proceeds slowly to lean into his side and rest her head on his shoulder. The whole time she is doing this, she is reading over the sheet of paper as if it were the ten commandments, trying to act like nothing was wrong, like her brother wasn't having a panic attack in the middle of a classroom full of children.

Amazingly, her technique seems to work. Alice and I watch as first, Isaiah's eyes come back into focus, staring at the back wall of the classroom. Next, he consciously relaxes each part of his body individually while slinging his arm over his sister's shoulders as if to assure himself that she is, in fact, by his side and unharmed. Then, he plasters an obviously fake smile on his face and turns to the paper his sister is holding.

He reads for only a moment before forcing a laugh. "This should be easy. We just have to get our old notes out, right, Izzy." His voice sounded like he was choking on his own air supply. I could feel the worry from Alice's general direction. I know that if the teacher wasn't careful until the boy calmed himself sufficiently, then he would be in definite danger. But there should be no chance of an incident. The professor was at his desk. Surely there was no reason for continued interaction with our group.

Did I say lady luck was on my side? I was wrong. She's laughing in my face right now!

The teacher happens to look up from his computer for second to throw a glance around the room. Just as he goes to look back to his desktop, his eyes flicker back to us. Zeroing in on Isaiah and Bella.

I would normally send the man a bit of disinterest, but that may be too conspicuous. _Just let it go. Please, just let it go if you know what's good for you!_

But no. Apparently, our luck for the day has run out. The man gets up from his chair and makes a bee line straight for us. Just before he reaches the table, Bella glides the sheet of paper over the table to me, obviously done perusing the assignment. I try to think of a way to warn her, but even with quick vampire thinking, I'm not quick enough.

"Mr. Swan, need I remind you of the strict 'No PDA' policy our school has in place?" Henson's voice is self-righteously annoyed. "It does not matter if it is between siblings, friends, or otherwise. We have a no tolerance policy." And then the man does the _stupidest _thing anyone could do, but he couldn't know that.

When Isaiah 'stubbornly' gives no reaction to his teacher's words, the idiotic older man reaches over and grasps the young man's wrist. Lightly, but still.

_ Wrong move._ I think, just before all hell breaks loose. Where before, Isaiah's emotions were a slightly turbulent sea of forced tranquility, now they are a roiling volcano of protective rage. If I'm reading his emotions right, he doesn't seem to care about the teacher touching him. It is the fact that he got so close to Isabella that infuriates him.

Between one human speed blink and the next, Isaiah is out of his seat one moment and pinning the teacher to the back wall the next. Thankfully, my vampire sight allows me to see it in play-by-play. The first thing I notice is that Alice's mate has amazing reflexes for a human. The next is that realization of his actions comes on fast after his initial outburst. This must mean he has practice dealing with these 'episodes', in order to bring himself out of them so quickly.

Letting the man go, he steps back and waits for his reaction. Henson rubs his wrist and elbow, the places that were used to bind him, until the redness goes away. The whole time, he is watching Isaiah carefully, the way one might a skittish, unbroken stallion. Danger seen in every aspect, and caution given every consideration.

Slowly, the man relaxes his position, letting his hands relax at his side in plain view. "Stay after class, Mr. Swan."

Isaiah nods curtly and sits back down. On the surface, everyone settles down and goes about their work. But in reality, they all begin whispering about the odd, violent outburst. None of them see a reason for it. All of them assume that Isaiah has a short fuse attached to a hot temper.

There is one girl that is particularly nasty in her judgment of Isaiah. "Can you believe that? The teacher just let him go." She says in a stage whisper, not even trying to keep her opinions to herself. "I wonder if he's retarded, so he gets special treatment."

The girl next to her snickers and adds her own vinegar to the mix. "I heard from a friend down on the Rez that they got kicked out of their last school for prostitution. Apparently, the guy was pimping out his sister!"

"No way. Really? She's so plain... Must have been a penny piece." Both girls giggle at that. "I even heard that he got into a fight with some of the native teens on first beach. I heard it was a real lip buster, too. Sam Uley had to break it up."

"Oh my god! And they allow that freak in school. What are the teachers thinking?" Obviously more than you, you vapid bitch. Tired of their useless prattling, I send them a quick dose of embarrassment. That shuts them up.

I'm not the only one angry at the two girls gossiping. Alice is just barely containing her outrage and remaining in her seat. Not wanting anything to escalate further, I send her a burst of calm to ease her turbulent emotions. One angry vamp was bad enough. Two, including an empath, was just asking for a massacre.

Done with that, I turn my attention back to the twins. Isaiah is controlling himself fine now, having jolted himself out of his mood. Testing his emotions just in case, I still feel his anger, but it is very buried now, under shame, indignation, guilt, and self-recrimination. That is one dark mix.

Switching my focus to my mate, I feel for her emotions to see how she is dealing with this. It must be upsetting to see her brother lose control like that. Instead of fear or depression or _something_, instead I feel... nothing? I can't sense her feelings, anymore. I know they are still there. I can see the pain in her eyes behind her curtain of hair as she hides her face. But I can't feel her. At all.

_ What the hell?_

Before I can ask even one question though, the bell rings to dismiss the classes to lunch. Not looking up, Bella and Isaiah begin to pack there bags, but don't move. Either of them. Looks like Bella will be staying with her brother.

Alice leans over to get her bag, saying, "We'll see you guys at lunch, right? Will you sit with us?" They nod silently, but don't say anything.

Realizing that was the best we were probably going to get, we waved as we left the room. Stopping outside the door, we made sure we were not seen by those within as we shamelessly listen in.

"Ms. Swan, you are dismissed. You may go to lunch with the others." Henson's voice moves as he speaks.

"I would like her to stay. Sir." Isaiah says stoically.

A pause, and then, "Very well. If you like." We hear a stool scrape the floor as the man sits, presumably across from them. "Do you realize why I asked you to stay, son?"

A spike of regret and guilt precedes Isaiah's words. "Because I attacked you." He takes a deep breath. "And I'm really sorry I did that. I swear it won't happen again. I just-"

"Woah, woah, slow down, kid. Easy. I'm not mad. Really." Henson's emotions verify this for me. He was, remarkably, not angry. "I am confused, though."

Bella was the one to ask him why he felt this way.

"Well, normally if a child is suffering from PTSD like your brother is, young lady, it's put in the files so we teachers know to be cautious when interacting with him." I feel the shock and confusion coming from both of them at the man's statement. Did they really not know?

My suspicions are confirmed by Isaiah's low question. "What, if I may ask, sir, is PTSD?"

Alice trembles beside me as the teacher answers. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." He waits for it to ring a bell. From their continuing confusion, they don't know the term. "It's a mental condition recently most often found in returning soldiers from over-seas. It's when a particularly bad memory or memories are triggered by an action, a careless word, a sound, even a smell. There are other signs, but I feel it is best if you discuss this with your mental health consultant. I'm no authority on mental illness. The only reason I know what happened is because my father had the condition." Henson finishes by telling him he is going to call their father at the end of the day, and that they should go on to lunch with the rest of their class mates.

Hurrying away before we're caught eavesdropping, Alice and I make our way hastily towards the lunchroom to await our mates.

** **Isaiah POV** **

Today started out so well. Izzy and I came to the decision early this morning, when we found neither of us could sleep, that we were going to try and move past our limitations and not hide behind them. We want to know Jasper and Alice, and the other Cullens, and we weren't going to let our reservations get in the way. We are tired of hiding from the world.

We made a bet that the first one to back down and hide would be the loser and would have to hand over the betting token if they are in possession. With that settled, we headed off to school a little early with our heads held high.

Most of our classes were repetitive. Going from being in AP classes and college courses to having to slow our minds down to this near drivel would be hard to get used to for anyone. But we would, because Izzy and I knew that High School was more than an academic learning environment. It is also where teenagers go to build on their developing social skills. And that's what we needed from Forks High School, so we would stick with it until graduation. After that, we agreed we would not limit ourselves in such a fashion again.

Arriving in the school parking lot was a bit awkward, what with all the gawking stares at the Chief's newly returned children. Powering through the slowly growing crowd, we made our way to the office for our schedules. Comparing them, we were relieved to see that we actually had every class together. Lucky! It wasn't until fourth period, Biology II, that we came across a problem. As we walked into Mr. Banner's classroom, we caught sight of one of the Cullens, his golden eyes giving him away. We hadn't met this one yet. He had been gone from the house when we arrived. Strangely, he was glaring at us almost as soon as we entered the room.

Deciding it really didn't matter, I led Bella to an empty table all the way in the back of the room. After roll call, Mr. Banner handed out a 100 question quiz in order to get a handle on where the class was in their learning.

Three minutes later, my sister and I flipped our papers over and waited. Seeing that we had finished far before he thought we should, Mr. Banner asked us both to step into the hall. As we showed him our papers and explained that we had already taken this particular class, he stuck his head into the class next door, asking the teacher to keep an eye on his students.

Banner led us to the office building and told us to wait while he checked some paperwork. Twenty minutes later, he came back with two packets of paper and told us to go get our things and go to class number 315 and hand over the papers we were given.

When Bella asked him if we had done something wrong, I was relieved to hear that we hadn't. That there was simply nothing he could teach us and it would be unfair to not only us, but the other students, if we were to stay in the class. Therefore, he was having us transferred to the most difficult science type class the school offered. Chemistry with Professor Henson.

Entering that classroom was the best part of my day, probably even Izzy's. I was ecstatic to find that we were in the same class as Alice. 'Course, Jasper was there, so big plus for Bella. Even better was the fact that we got the perfect excuse to spend time with them because of the group project. We would have eventually found one, but this expedites the process.

When the groups are called, I turn in my seat and I get completely lost in the piece of art that is Alice Cullen. She's so tiny and perfect, one would be afraid to even touch her for fear of breaking such a perfect porcelain doll. I know better, knowing she is a vampire and highly unbreakable.

Her short, honey highlighted hair is tousled and begging for my fingers to put it right, or mess it up further. Her full lower lip mesmerizes me and her deep golden eyes captivate my mind. Some may say it is the natural dazzling effect vampires usually have on my kind, but I knew, just knew, it was so much more. The moment our eyes connect, I feel electricity arc between us. And we aren't even close enough to touch! The moment stretches as the world falls away around us and there's nothing but her and me, in our own little bubble of reality. She smiles, and everything about my life doesn't matter anymore. I could die tomorrow and my life would be complete because of her smile being directed at me.

Then it turned into damn nightmare because I can't get a handle on my 'situations'.

One moment, I'm falling into Alice Cullen's eyes, and the next, I'm reliving my own personal hell. Thank god Isabella was there with me, or it could have been _much_ worse than it was. As it stands, I merely shoved a teacher into a wall. When I came back to myself, I couldn't believe what I had done. And I hadn't even realized I had done it.

The teacher simply told me to go back to my seat and remain after class. Not wanting to push it, I did as I was told. The the whispers began, some louder and more obnoxious than others. Especially the two shallow girls at the table next to us.

If I could hear what they were saying, then my sister and the two vampires could _definitely_ could hear them. I could only hope that Alice and Jasper didn't believe the crude things they were saying.

It wasn't long before the end of class and everyone was leaving. I was vaguely aware of Alice asking us to sit with them at lunch, but I can't recall if I replied or not. And then they were gone and my mood darkened even more.

The teacher sat in front of my sister and I and told us something that really threw us for a loop.

PTSD? Really? I had never had reason to look up mental illnesses. When I looked at my sister, I see she was just as lost as I was. Could it really be so simple?

Professor Henson dismisses us to lunch with the warning that he will be calling Charlie later on today. That'll be a fun conversation.

_Hey, dad, just wanted to let you know before my teacher calls. I accosted a my teacher during class today. No big deal. Oh, and come to find out, I may have a mental screw or two loose. But, whatever, it's all good._

I see that going over well.

"Izzy?" Bella calls me. "Where are you going?"

Stopping, I see I passed the turn off to the cafeteria. But I don't head back, instead I stand with my head down in shame. "I shouldn't have... I didn't mean... I'm just so..." Can I just finish one sentence without choking on my words?

Her face softens even further than it already was. "Izzy, don't think for a moment that I would blame you for anything. If you want to lay blame, put it where it truly belongs. You know where that is, don't pretend otherwise. Now put a smile on your face and lets get on with our bet." She grins, showing me what she wants. "Okay? Or are you forfeiting, already?"

God, I love my sister. She always knows what to say to make me feel better. It doesn't take the guilt and shame away entirely, but it makes it so I can live around it. Grinning back at her, I say, "You wish, I'm not giving in yet. Let's put the books away in our lockers, first though."

After a quick stop at my locker, we head on to the lunch room, a bounce coming into our walk at the thought of seeing _them _again.


	8. Enough Is Enough

** **Bella POV** **

I couldn't care less what others thought of us. It's been my experience that it doesn't pay to put any stock into other's opinions of myself when they will be out of my life in a few months, or years at most. But still, it hurt to think that Jasper would believe those girls. I didn't want him to look at me with disgust over a lie like that. He would already have enough to be disgusted with if he ever saw my scars. Especially if he sees any of my scars. I have far, far fewer than Izzy, but I still have way too many to be comfortable with. I already hate the day that's coming when he walks away from me in disgust, even though it hasn't happened yet. How could he not, he's completely perfect. I'm sure he has a few flaws in his character, but who doesn't.

These thoughts are swept from my mind, however, when I step into the cafeteria. Catching sight of him sitting with the rest of his family on the far side of the large open room, we lock eyes for the second time today and I know he doesn't think like they do. He doesn't believe their nasty rumors about me, or my brother, and that makes me feel so happy.

I get so distracted by his gaze, Isaiah has to almost drag me to the lunch line to get our food. He chuckles under his breathe and bodily turns me away from the beautiful blonde cowboy, and there is nothing else he could be, no mistake. Looking up in a daze, I see my brother shaking his head in mild amusement at my fixation.

I glare at him, snipping, "Oh, don't act like you wouldn't have done the same if Alice hadn't had her back to the door." I don't usually get attitude around others. It's usually best if I keep my temper under tight lock and key, even if Isaiah is right next to me. He does his best to act as a buffer, but it doesn't always help. Thankfully, he takes it all in stride.

"True, but I can still find amusement in the situation. Now, come on and get something that passes for food around here." I catch him peering over his shoulder back towards the Cullen table as we move forward in the dwindling line. Grabbing a water and an apple each, we head over to their table to join them. There are exactly two chairs left at their table, right next to each other. Sitting in them would put Jasper and Alice on either side of us. Naturally, I sit next to Jasper, my heart picking up speed and a blush coming to my face when I remember that he and his family can probably hear it doing so. They don't comment, so I let it go.

Alice leans forward in her seat as we sit down, asking in a low voice, so as not to be overheard by others "I'm curious, I thought humans were supposed to eat a balanced diet?"

And just like that, the last of Isaiah's dark mood dissipates. "True. But other than raw ingredients, can you show me even a single piece of 'real' food in this place?" His smile is, for now, not forced. The twinkle in his eye is a welcome sight, as well.

Rose shifts and turns her seat back towards the table as a whole, whereas before she was solely focused on Emmett. "Is that why it smells like plastic and sawdust with strange aromas layered on?"

Isaiah and I crack up at this. "Yeah," I say, "I looked at the ingredients used in some of the dishes mandated to be served in public schools once. Only once. Trust me, be glad you don't need to eat that crap."

"Sometimes, I even doubt the raw materials are even real. Back in Phoenix, Izzy and I funded a few school reforms to allow for healthier diets through out several districts."

Jasper rests his elbows on the table to lean in closer, putting him that much closer to me. I really wish my heart would just settle into a natural rhythm, because this is getting really embarrassing. "How did you fund the programs? What charity did you use?"

This is Isaiah's favorite topic. Not money, of course, but business plans and accounting methods. His brain is all numbers. "The first few times, we funded them out of pocket, personally. But after we got a little more information, we realized we could do more good if we created a charitable foundation to keep the money flowing regularly. You wouldn't believe how many tax breaks are given to such companies. It was much more cost and time effective than us handling every little detail as they came along. The overhead budget went down drastically, and we even got a few outside donations." When he starts talking about his businesses, of which we actually have a couple, he doesn't know when to stop.

I watch everyone around the table as he goes on to tell them more about how our charity foundation, The Cygnus Foundation, went on to become a company, and then a very small corporation that now employs tens of thousands of people country wide. How, in the future, we have a rough plan set up to expand it once we can take it over full time after our schooling is complete. For now, we have a board of 'trusted' employees making the day to day decisions. Everyone's faces ranged from shock, respect, a little awe, and in one case, disgusted disbelief.

I focus on the last one. It's coming from Edward, I think his name was. The one we had yet to meet and no one seemed to bother introducing him. Nor did he think to introduce himself. He's looking at Isaiah and I like something he wouldn't even bother scraping off the bottom of his shoe, in favor of simply throwing said shoe away to avoid the unpleasant task. I can't think of a reason why this would be. We hadn't done anything to him or his family to cause any kind of dislike. As I watch, his eyes focus solidly on my forehead while his face becomes darker and more angry.

Finally, he snaps at me, "What is wrong with you?"

Confused, I cock my head in question, feeling my brother bristle at my side. I put my hand on his shoulder, holding him back preemptively. "Edward, right?" He nods. "What do you mean, 'what's wrong with me'? Have I offended you somehow?"

"I can't _hear you!_"

Everyone at the table looks around anxiously, making sure no one noticed Edwards nearly shouted outburst. No one noticed.

Jasper pins him with a heated glare and whispers vehemently, "Not the time, you idiot! Do you want to expose us all and get us killed?"

Edward looks at me then my brother for a few moments more before getting up angrily, grunting something along the lines of 'I'll see you at home' before stalking out of the cafeteria.

Emmett smiles mischievously. "Cool, now that the wet blanket is gone, tell me more about the electronics division you were talking about. You're developing what kind of home use computer?"

Alice sits, totally engrossed, as Isaiah begins to describe the paper thin wafer-like technology our R&D division is working on. "It's still only a small company," I say when Isaiah takes a breath. "And we only employ one or two people in that department, but it seems to really be making some headway. They've already got a few plausible prototypes ready for demonstration when we go to Seattle next month."

"Do you take a hand in the research and development like your brother, Bella?" Jasper's honey smooth voice makes my thoughts derail for a moment, but I quickly, in my opinion, get back on track.

"Ah, no. Not when it comes to the computer type research, anyways. That's Isaiah's field of expertise."

"Oh? What research do you take part in, then?" Alice leans around my brother to look at me. I see him tense up as she gets closer. _Yeah, I know how you feel, brother. Power through, though._

Isaiah clears his throat to speak. "Izzy is actually in the process of creating a paper that won't degrade or yellow for quite some time even with high traffic handling. She's pretty close, too. The last piece she made is still pristine, but it's only about five years old."

Emmett gives a low whistle and sits back in his seat. Rose looks between me and my twin, appraising us. "Quick question for you two." We give her our full attention and she continues. "Why the hell are you two still going to school? I mean, it sounds like you already know all you need to know."

We both shift uncomfortably in our seats and look down at the table. I twist the cap off my water before answering. "Technically... we've already graduated." I look to Izzy as I say, "What is it, two years ago now we got our GED's on a whim?"

He nods. "Uh, yeah. But we only did it for a joke, really. We had some time on our hands and we saw a sign saying something about taking a test for early graduation on this college campus we had a job on and decided 'why not'."

I chuckle at the memory. "I still can't believe we passed. We were only fourteen and had to scrounge around for the testing fee to even get in. I remember the proctor kept hovering around us, thinking we were trying to cheat our way out of going to school."

Izzy laughs. "You're right! The look on that uppity woman's face when we got such high scores was priceless."

"Why do you two continue going to school, then?" Jasper asks disbelievingly.

I look around the table and say, deadpan, "Because if we didn't get out of the house for something productive, I'm pretty sure Isaiah would become a mole man, and I would die of boredom. At least here there are people around and interesting things to learn on occasion."

Jasper shudders, "I don't see the appeal of going to High School willingly?"

I smile up at him. "Just because you stop learning academically, doesn't mean there aren't other things to learn."

Before he can ask what I mean, the bell rings, calling all the students back to class. Jumping up, Isaiah and I say goodbye to the others and head off to our next class.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

** **Isaiah POV** **

_One Week Later_

I'm able to be near her without panicking. It's a miracle that I don't panic the way I do around others, even Esme. I can be near my Alice. And she is mine. I feel it now in every fiber of my being. It was strange to come to that realization. That I could feel this way about anyone, let alone after only knowing them barely over a week. At first, I felt guilty for feeling this way. I don't know her. She doesn't know me. Why should I let myself call her mine in such a quick fashion.

But, like always, Izzy is my rock. She saw how conflicted I was a few days ago and decided to 'set me straight'. God, I love her. I smile, remembering how she let me know in no uncertain terms that she thought I was being an idiot.

_ Memory _

_ I'm fidgeting at the table as I'm doing my homework, Izzy sitting across from me, tapping away on her laptop. She's done already, the irritable little mite. I don't know how she can keep her mind on her work. Maybe it's all the control she has on _ _that_ _ that lets her keep herself on track. I sigh as I find another equation completed incorrectly. Jerking another sheet of paper from the dwindling stack next to me, I begin to scribble out the problem again._

_ "Isaiah, you're getting math wrong?" Izzy chuckles at me over the screen in front of her. "Usually you only have this much trouble with your English homework."_

_ I do my best impersonation of a growl, not bothering to look up at her. "Whatever. Leave me alone." I snap. I'm even snapping at my sister now! I don't snap at her. I need to get my head on straight._

_ But I want to see Alice... _ _The thought creeps unbidden into my mind. Shaking my head, I try to focus on my normally easy homework before me. But it's no use. My thoughts scatter as I realize that when I thought I was writing out my work, I was actually writing her name. A myriad of Alice's litters my paper. Growling in frustration, I crumple the useless sheet and toss it to the other dozen or more already piling up in the trash. Another piece finds its way before me, and I renew my efforts to take my mind off of _ _her._

_ Fat lot of good that does me! Nearly immediately, my mind conjures up images of her. Her sweet ocher eyes gazing at me from across the table, drawing me into her magnetic pull. Her messy, spiky, inky, honey highlighted hair that makes me want to run my hands through it to test its softness. Her tinkling, chime-like laugh that hasn't failed to draw my gaze to her full, kissable lips yet. I could go the rest of my life ensuring her laughter._

_ A thud pulls my attention back to my twin. Looking up, I see she is packing away her computer and clearing the table, obviously upset._

_ "Are you okay?" I ask._

_ "Oh, I'm fine." She says. "Just wondering when you'll pull your head out of your ass, is all?"_

_ My brow furrows at her words. She doesn't cuss. Ever. I cuss. "What do you-?"_

_ "Oh, come on, Isaiah, don't be so dense. You know what I'm talking about. Did you even listen to Dad, at all?"_

_ "Of course I-"_

_ "If you did, then maybe you would actually take his advice instead of sitting over there sulking like someone stole your sweet roll." How the hell can she say that with a straight face? I try to respond, but she isn't having it. "Listen, Dad said we should take our feelings and act on them at _ _our_ _ pace. Not someone else's idea of how long it should take. I know I'm not nearly to the place you're at right now, but obviously _ _you are._ _ So like I said, get your head out of your ass. Don't feel guilty just because others might think you are acting too quickly. I can see she likes you. I think. She's always so focused on you, and you her. So why don't you act on it? What are you afraid of?"_

_ I sit, stunned, for a minute as I watch her watching me. "I..." What the hell do I say? She's right, but... "I don't... want you to think I won't... I mean, what if she... and then, if I'm away from you... I just-"_

_ Her eyes soften and she leans across the table to grab my hand in hers. I realize my hands are shaking as she says softly. "One, I know you'll always be there for me. The attention you give to Alice won't take away from that, brother. Don't let me hold you back from whatever this is. I really don't want that on my conscience. Two, she won't reject you, I can just tell. So pluck up a little courage and ask her out on a date. If you want, you can borrow some of mine. It's not much, but it's something. And three, don't worry about _ _that_ _. It's been two years since it happened last. If I can't handle it, I'll walk away. You know how it is. Besides, I need to learn to deal with it, no matter how tired it makes me."_

_ I watch her for a few minutes, trying to see if she is only saying this to make me feel better. But there's only sincerity and honesty shining in her eyes. "You know, sometimes I feel like you can read my mind."_

_ She sits back in her chair with a laugh. "Well, of course I can, twin telepathy, remember? I _ _always_ _ know what your thinking!" Little liar. I tell her as much. "How rude!" But she can't help cracking up right along with me._

_ After we get our mirth under control, I look up at her from across the table. "You really think it's okay to feel this way so soon?"_

_ She sobers up the rest of the way. "From my perspective, yes. I don't see a problem with it, Izzy. If you like her, and she likes you, who's to say you shouldn't act on your feelings?"_

_ That's my twin, right as always. What would I do without her?_

_ End Memory _

That was Friday night. It's now late Saturday evening.

We're over at the Cullen house again, having come here every day after school. Charlie thinks it's because of the Chemistry project, but it's really because Izzy and I just can't seem to stay away and not just because of the bet we made. We gave up on that days ago. We do work on the project, but just barely.

More often than not, we find ourselves like we are now. Alice and I are sitting on one side of their dining room table, while Jasper and Bella are on the other. Those two are discussing the finer points of fiction versus non fiction. It's... suitable for them, I guess. I can't follow a damn thing they're saying, but my sister looks happy to have someone on her level. She deserves to be happy.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to show Alice how to play on a PSP Emmett challenged her to beat his score on. She's broken four already because she got irritated that the little character on the screen wouldn't "Freaking jump when I tell you to jump, you fat little dumpling!" Her words, not mine. Her look of absolute concentration is completely adorable. Her tiny pink tongue poking out between her candy pink lips is driving me to distraction. Doing my best to ignore my reaction, I explain how the game works and how to beat a score. Her vampire brain retains the information easily, and soon she's accomplished her goal.

Jumping out of the chair, she runs to find Em in the family room, exclaiming that he can 'suck it' and that it was easy to beat his 'puny little score'. The look on her face when, after three minutes, he hands her back the little game console and she sees that he's beaten her new score is priceless. Huffing and puffing, she returns to the chair next to me, she returns to her game. Every few seconds, she blows out a breath to get the messy strands of hair out of her face. When this doesn't satisfy her, she pauses the game to card her fingers through her locks until it's all pulled away from her face. Until she goes back to her game, that is. Chuckling, I reach out a hand and go to tuck her hair back, stopping at the last second before contact. Maybe I shouldn't. It's not like she asked me to help. But I would, gladly, if she would but ask. As my hand drops, I imagine I see a look of disappointment blanket her features, only to disappear quickly in her concentration.

A throat clears across the table. When I look up, Izzy is looking at me expectantly. I shake my head at her, hoping she'll let it go. I should know better than to think she would. An evil grin blossoms on her lips, and she starts rifling through her bag, pulling out her wallet.

_No! Don't you dare, you little twerp. How could you?!_

Pulling out our 'betting token', she lays it on the table in front of me. "Izzy, I have a task for you." _Stop it right now, Isabella. Don't say it! Let it go!_

"And what's that?"

"Alice, this concerns you, too. And I'm afraid you can't say no. It's kind of in the rules."

"We made those up a long time ago, Sis. And she doesn't know the rules, Isabella." I grind out, hoping she understands my intention by using her full name. She gives me a look that screams 'I don't care!'. _Dammit!_

"I'm well aware of that, _Isaiah_. That's why I just told her." If I grind my teeth any more, they'll be nubs.

Alice sets her now paused game down on the table top, looking between my twin and me expectantly. "That's okay. What is it?" She's so damn cheerful all the time. I wonder if she ever loses that look of happiness on her face. _I hope not. That would be hell on earth._

Isabella smiles conspiratorially between me and Alice. "Izzy, you're to braid Alice's hair for her. It's obviously getting in her way. At this rate, she's liable to break another PSP. And I don't think Emmett has another replacement."

I'm floored. I expected something like this, but I still couldn't quite wrap my head around it. _I can touch her! I can't say no! It is in the rules, after all._

"But my hair is too short to be braided or tied back. I've tried so many times, but-" Bella holds up her hand.

"Actually, Alice, you may be surprised. Izzy?" My twin looks at me, and nods her head towards my 'task'.

I turn to look at the elfin girl beside me. "Shall we go to the den? It'll be easier to do this if you sit at my feet." Before the last syllable leaves my lips, she's skipping in that direction. _Girl skips everywhere._

To my everlasting irritation, Izzy and Jasper trail after us. I know my sister is still uncomfortable out of my presence, no matter her brave words the other day. Sitting in one of the leather chairs before the hearth, I wait for Alice to sit on the floor in front of me. While she gets situated, I watch my sister and her... I'm not sure really. Jasper's attention is always so fixed on her, but he never tries to do anything too 'forward', like holding her hand, or putting his hand on the small of her back even in an innocent manner. Alice is always touching me, even though I'm reticent to reciprocate, I love it when she puts her hand on my arm, or takes my hand excitedly. She makes me feel normal. But Jasper seems to almost know that to touch Izzy is a big fat 'no no'. Not many people- okay no one is aware of the fact that I don't keep people from touching her to keep her from being hurt or scared. I keep their hands off of her to keep _them_ out of harms way. When my twin's own 'situations' are triggered, bad things happen. Thankfully, she has such iron-clad control, almost nothing can break it.

"Ready!" I'm not so sure she is. The tiny little pixie is bouncing even sitting on the floor.

Probably grinning like a loon, I shift forward in my seat a bit to angle myself over her for better access. Cautiously, I sink my fingers into her hair. And I barely contain a groan of pure bliss. It feels like silk, soft and tickling my palms. I'm in heaven. Under the guise of making sure no knots will interrupt my work, I shift my fingers slowly, very slowly, over her scalp. My hands tingle and I feel myself becoming giddy with her being so close.

Wanting this to last, not knowing if I'll get another chance like this, I begin to braid her fine, satiny strands into a simple headband braid to ensure it stays out of her eyes. Of course, I make a few 'mistakes', which means I have to undo _all_ of my previous work, and start from the beginning. Halfway through my second attempt, she starts making the most amazing sound I've ever heard. Something between a purr and a hum emanates from her chest, causing a quick shot of something hot and dark to shoot through my gut. My jaw tightens, but I keep my attention and my hands on her luxurious hair, holding in another groan.

The sound she's making is only interrupted when she asks, "Where did you learn to do this?"

Mentally shaking myself, I pull my wits together enough to answer, checking with my sister first as it wasn't my right to tell her stories. She nods, letting me know it's okay. "When we were in middle school, Izzy had short hair, just a little shorter than yours, and it would constantly irritate her by getting in her face as it grew back out. When she tried to braid or otherwise bind it, she would get so frustrated. So I looked online for some tutorials, practicing for days on my own hair until I could braid it for her." Of course, I don't tell them that the reason she couldn't braid it is because the same fucker that chopped her hair off as a humiliation tactic also broke both of her middle fingers.

Taking a few deep breathes, I fight the rising wave I know is coming. Without conscious thought, my hands sink deeper into Alice's hair, gently wrapping the inky strands around my fingers. The humming purr starts back up and just like that the wave passes like it never existed. Not even a flicker of anger to remind me I almost got lost to the memories. Not even my sister could bring me out of a 'situation' that fast with so little effort.

_ That sinks it... Screw any reservations I may have. This woman is mine! I will fight tooth and nail even with myself to make it so._

Alice gasps as I tenderly tie the end of the braid back in on itself, making sure the action is easily reversed. I wonder if she's seen the decision I just came to. I hope so. It will make what I plan that much easier. It won't be easy, I know. I'm not exactly right in the head at the best of times. And my scars aren't all that wonderful, but I can be what she needs. She's already everything I was missing, and I'm not giving that up.

I don't know if some silent prayer was answered on my part or not, but I'll take it, whatever it is. Just then, Emmett comes in from the other room, engaging my sister and Jasper in conversation.

"Hey, Bells. Wanna help me with a prank I'm working up?" Where is the big oaf going with this?

Her brow furrows, causing a little 'v' to form between her eyes. "You're not thinking of messing with Esme's kitchen again, are you?" A hiss from the aforementioned woman could be heard even by me, and she's in her office on the third floor. _Yeah, Emmett didn't walk straight for hours after that ass kicking._

"Do I look stupid to you? No. Come with me and we'll iron out the details together. You'll love it." He crooks his index finger at her and grins mischievously, knowing she loves to help with his pranks. Especially against Eddie. Last time, they took all of his things and super glued them to trees out in the forest behind the house, calling it an 'Extreme Treasure Hunt: Forest Addition'. Strangely, or maybe not so strangely, that one had been Isabella's idea, Emmett laughing maniacally at her evilness.

Jasper trailed Izzy out of the room, and I recognized the look on his face as one I must have been wearing for days. Frustrated longing. _Oh, that man has it bad. _Knowing he can feel my emotions, I try to push understanding and camaraderie towards him. He barely spares me a glance, but I know he felt it.

Soon, I'm left alone with my Alice. She's still seated at my feet, her hand idly exploring the simple braid I put in her hair.

_Mine!_ The next thing I did I don't think I could have stopped even if I wanted to. Besides, who knows how long I would have before needing to go back to Isabella.

Reaching forward, I grasp Alice's hand and gently pull her up with me. The tiny little vampire barely comes up to my chin. Slowly, giving her every chance to pull away, every chance to tell me that this isn't what she wants, that I'm not what she wants, I pull her into my chest. Slipping my fingers of my left hand under her delicate little chin, I tilt her head back so I can see her eyes. What I see there is all I need to know to feel that this is more than right, this is necessary.

Acceptance. Anticipation. Excitement. And... love? I've never seen a look like that directed at me before. And it makes me a little crazy, I think. Acting on pure instinct, I lean towards her, my lips stopping a hairsbreadth away from hers. I leave the choice up to her. I may want this more than I want air to breath, and she may be willing, but it should be her choice, too.

There's not even the smallest of hesitations before her eyes drift closed and her lips press into mine... and my world erupts in a dazzling dance of colors at the feelings she incites within me. My own eyes squeeze shut at all the new feelings I encounter as the kiss quickly becomes more and more heated. Her small frame settles further into my larger one, the hand that's still held in mine slips free and presses into the back of my neck, playing with the strands of hair that grow there. My eyes roll back in my head behind my shuttered lids in shear bliss at the sensations crashing through me at her touch, causing my body to become hot as every muscle tightens.

The hand under her chin drifts to the hair I just braided, raking the work I did away in one fell swoop while my left hand settles on her tiny waist, keeping her pressed firmly against me. Tentatively, my tongue darts out to taste her lips beneath mine. Her moan as she parts her sweet lips to my invading tongue is music to my ears, sweeter than any angelic choir. Exploring every corner of her delectable mouth is ecstasy, though I'm mindful of her razor sharp teeth. As I retreat, her tongue chases mine, making her own foray. I groan at her sweet taste filling my mouth, my tongue dueling with hers. Cherries and cinnamon, sweet and spicy, so addicting I never want to give it up.

But I must if I want to stay conscious much longer. Air is, sadly, a necessity for this mere mortal. Breaking away, gasping for breath, I rest my forehead on hers. It pleases me to no end that her breathing, while not necessary for her, is just as erratic while her pupils are blown in obvious arousal. Every male instinct I have begins roaring in my head, beating at my common sense, screaming at me to make her mine.

Ignoring the irrational feelings, I grin at her shyly. "Wow." Let's be honest, after a kiss like that, I'm lucky to be cognizant enough to form a thought, let alone a single word.

She giggles, and it's almost as sweet as her moan. "Yeah."

And nothing more needs to be said, apparently. We stay like that, foreheads canted against each other, for the longest time. I know I could stay like this forever, nevermind the ache in my shoulders at the odd angle.

_Fear. Anger. Anxiety. Panic. The slipping of careful control._

These aren't my feelings. They're hers. Isabella's. Tearing myself quickly away from my Alice, regretting the separation immediately, I run as quickly as I can to where my sister is in Carlisle's study. I'm aware of Alice keeping pace with me as she senses my, to her, uncalled for panic. I dodge Esme in the hall, duck under and around Carlisle's braced arm in the doorway as he stands watching the people in his study as they work at this blackboard.

Coming to a shuddering halt, I see the cause of my twin's emotional upheaval. Standing in front of the blackboard titled with 'The Plan to End All Plans', is Edward. He's seething rage while Emmett and Rose are laughing at the pretty boy's reaction to finding them plotting against him, both of them blissfully unaware of the danger they're in. Jasper is standing mere feet away from my sister, looking confused and put out as he stares intently at her small, hunched frame while she shakes, trying to gain control.

Not wasting any time, as even a single second could be the difference between a disaster and a near miss, I rush to Izzy's side and stand between her and what she is perceiving as a threat to one of 'hers'. And I know she's claimed most of the Cullens as her own, as her family. Just like I can't hide anything from her, she can't keep anything from me.

I make sure to keep my tone carefully even and calm. "Edward, if you would be so kind as to take a few steps away, it would be much appreciated." I hate being nice to the bastard, as he's only been rude and cantankerous with us, but if I escalate this situation any further, then it will quickly become Armageddon in here.

The prick turns his arrogant, almost black gaze on me, sneering at me. "Shove off, doppelganger. If you don't like the proximity, then move yourself."

_ Anger quickly edging into unbridled rage._

_ Shit! Not good._ I try to send my rising panic to Jasper, but he's so focused on Bella that he doesn't seem to notice. Why won't he calm her down? Is it because of _that_?

Trying to control the escalation of my sister's temper, I place my hand on her shoulder in a nonthreatening position. It works, if only marginally. "I really would like for you to take a few steps back, Edward. I think it would benefit all of us to-"

He snarls his lips at me in disgust. "What are you, brain dead? Did your pathetic human mind not comprehend what I said the first time? I'm not moving, so shove off."

_Oh, I'm not brain dead, but you'll wish you were here in about five... four... three... two..._

My sister growls at the fucker's words to me. Pretty pathetic compared to a vampire, but not bad by human standards. Tightening my grip almost painfully on her, I do my best to keep my stance nonthreatening as I keep her in place. Not easy even though she's leaner and lighter than I am.

Just as I think all hope is gone and she's going to snap and kill the bastard, a miracle, a _motherfucking_ miracle happens!

Jasper approaches her from the side- _good man__\- _and raises his hands in clear intent. _Close, don't startle her._ Making sure she sees what he's doing, places his hands on either of her shoulders, displacing my own. This move, I think, will send her over the edge, but instead, all tension leaves her and she relaxes into his grasp. Breathing shuddering breaths, Izzy wraps her arms around herself as her anger and fear fades.

Looking to me finally, I can see the panic still in her eyes. "Can we go home, Isaiah?" Her voice is so small, I almost miss her words.

Nodding and taking her hand, I send her with Alice to wait downstairs. Turning back and I look right at Edward, showing him all of my contempt and hatred. "You got lucky today, you fucker! Next time, Jasper and I may not be able to save your arrogant ass. Enjoy still existing." I walk out of the room, tell Alice goodbye and bundle my sister into the car with her still shaking from the incident.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

** **Jasper POV** **

_What the FUCK just happened?_My mind is a haze of confusion as I watch my mate and her brother drive off. One minute, she's laughing and carrying on with Emmett over prank ideas, making me smile at her exuberance. And then Fuckward enters the room, expelling his vitriol towards Emmett and myself, completely ignoring my Bella. Just like that, her emotions are gone, and she tried to make herself look small. If I weren't so unsure of how she would feel with my touch added to this situation, I would have pulled her away. Instead, she stood nearly in the middle of Edward and Emmett, her face darkening further and further. Several times I tried to influence her emotions, to send her a sense of calm, but nothing seemed to work.

Suddenly, Isaiah is standing between her and Edward after barging into the room. He thinks I can't feel the panic he's trying to send me, but the truth is that while I can feel his emotions, I can't change them, either. He calmly asks Edward to step away from his sister multiple times, each time failing. While I can't feel what she's feeling, I can see the thunderous anger building on my mate's face.

Right when Isaiah's sense of concern gives way to a full blown panic, I know I need to take a chance. Approaching Bella as I would a newborn, I make sure all of my actions are visible to the human eye. Gently placing my hands on her shoulders, displacing Isaiah and feeling his fear, I watch, fascinated and relieved as the tension leaves her body shaking in the aftermath of her adrenaline rush.

Not long after, her twin has her out of the room, led by Alice, while he stops in the doorway to face Edward, disgust in every facet of his being as he stares the vampire down.

His parting words leave everyone in a state of shock. "You got lucky today, you fucker! Next time, Jasper and I may not be able to save your arrogant ass. Enjoy still existing."

Edward, however, simply brushes his little speech aside with a careless wave of his hand. I can feel the conviction and deadly intent behind Isaiah's words, though. I know he was speaking the truth.

"Edward, how could you be so rude and callous towards your siblings' mates?" Carlisle, when he speaks, is the only one in a state of disbelief. He forever refuses to acknowledge the fact that he may have changed Edward too young, with him still being mentally far too much an immature adolescent. The rest of us are not blinded by a sire's bond, however, and even Esme admits she wishes Edward had never been turned. She would never admit this to her husband, though, as this would cause her mate great distress.

"Mates? Those immature children? Those aren't their mates. They can't be. I told you, Carlisle, Alice and Jasper are mates."

This breaks me out of my stupor and I turn to the arrogant brat to set him right. But another beats me to it. Again, the entire family is so surprised, we don't even think of moving.

Edward brings his hand to his cheek, now cracking in a spiderweb-like fashion from the resounding blow he just received from the most unlikely source. For once, he is speechless as his attacker berates him.

"I have had it up to here, you pathetic excuse for a man!" Esme bites out between her clenched teeth. Carlisle moves towards her, but wisely thinks better of that action. "I will not have you treating another member of our family in such a deplorable manner, little boy!"

"B-but... Esme, I didn't insult Alice or Jasper!" Edward whines and cowers feebly before our 'mother's' ire.

The fury coming off of Carlisle's mate was legendary. I will admit, I may be feeding it a tiny bit. But only a tiny bit. "You think I'm talking about them?" The confusion on his face says it all. "You ignorant fool! I'm speaking of Isaiah and little Bella! The way you've been treating them is simply not acceptable and today takes the cake. I'm done putting up with your childish ways, Edward Masen Cullen!" Woah, full name means run for your life. She did that to me once and actually earned the Major's respect.

She continues in her cathartic rant, saying everything everyone was thinking. "You have never been anything but an immature little boy who refuses to learn. You have paraded around for the past week doing everything you can to make those two children feel anything but welcome. Not once have you said a kind word to them. Only venting your spleen on two such innocent, obviously abused children simply because you have no control over them like you have on everyone else is not right and I will not stand for it in my home any longer. So you either change your ways, or so help me I will tear you limb from limb and throw you on a pyre!"

Carlisle should really keep his mouth shut, but of course he can't stand down when his golden boy is in a tight spot. "Now dear, maybe that's being a bit harsh?"

Esme whirls around on her husband. "Don't you 'dear' me, Dr. Cullen! I mean what I just said, every last word of it. And I am sure I speak for everyone here when I say enough is enough!"

"But I didn't do anything wrong!" Could Edward really be so thick? Seriously.

With a growl and a hiss, Esme flies at Edward's head, only missing because the bronze haired idiot was the fastest out of all of us. She let out a feminine screech of frustration and ground her teeth as she glared between her mate and the other coven member. "That's it! Carlisle, choose! I mean it. Choose now. Me or him!"

This is a day I never would have seen coming. We all know that to lose his first sired son would hurt Carlisle dearly. And by the look on the man's face, this was unexpected for him, as well. But he didn't even hesitate with his answer. I can feel him fighting down the paternal pain his own words cause him.

"Esme, you know I choose you, my love. It will always be you, my sweet angel. You know this." I sent a little peace towards my coven leader, to help him through this moment. "If Edward truly displeases you this much, I understand. However, may I make a request, love?" His mate nods stiffly. "Might we simply expel him from the coven, instead of any harsher treatment. Please, angel, for me."

The struggle in Esme's eyes is plain for all to see. I can tell even without my gift that she would rather rend Edward apart with her bare hands, but she couldn't hurt her mate that way. Nodding again, she steps away from Edward, towards her mate. Carlisle takes her in his arm, tucking her snugly under his chin and eyes Edward determinedly.

"Edward, son, I'm sorry, but you must go. You aren't welcome here any longer."

The boy in question gapes like a fish for several long moments. "You can't be serious! Carlisle, you would throw me out because of a couple of worthless humans? How could you?"

Esme lurches in his arms, but Carlisle just holds her tighter. "No, Edward. I would punish you for such actions, yes, but I expel you from this coven this day for a much stronger cause. I will not have you cause my mate distress. I have let many things go over the years, and so has she. I know this. Yet I ignored the signs before me in hopes that, in time, you could learn to overcome your own nature, I suppose. I will not let it go on any longer. Hopefully, given the fullness of time, you can come to understand the decision made today. But for now, you must leave." The pale haired doctor draws himself to his full height and re-positions Esme so she is glued to his side. "I, Carlisle Xavier Cullen, head of this coven, before these witnesses with us this day, decree that you, Edward Masen, are from this moment on no longer a Cullen nor are you a member of the Olympic Coven. All privileges granted to you as such are hereby stripped from your person." The ring of finality in his voice hung in the air around us all.

Many saw Carlisle as a poor excuse for a vampire, turning his back on his own kind, on their ways, in favor of appearing more human. What many failed to realize is that to be the leader of a coven, one had to be an Alpha. Nothing less. Carlisle is compassionate and caring. His ways are soft and gentle. But threaten one of his own, and there is no mistaking that he is, in fact, an Alpha vampire. And no one says no to an Alpha unless they wish to challenge its rule.

Fighting every instinct I have to show my dominance as another Alpha, I replied with the others, "So shall it be."

** **Edward POV** **

Looking from one of my now former coven mates to the next, I flounder for something to say to fix the mistake I could not see having made. My own father, my sire, has just disowned me and told me in no uncertain terms to leave. In the vampire world, the guidance of one's sire is everything in a young vampire's life. Without it, I feel lost and set adrift, and I haven't even taken a step away.

With one last ditch effort, I focus on Carlisle's thoughts to desperately find a way out of my predicament. But all they tell me is that I am not welcome. My leaving will cause my sire pain, but not nearly as much as a separation from his mate in any way, shape, or form would cause him.

Shaking my head slowly in disbelief, I back away from the only family I have ever know. The only home that has ever felt right. The ones I must now leave without a backward glance.

Spinning away quickly, I dash out the doors as fast as I can, fighting the broken sobs rending my chest painfully as I leave my life behind.


	9. Interlude

_One Month Later_

** **Alice POV** **

I couldn't be any happier than I am right now. I finally get to be affectionate with my mate. It still amazes me that he's able to work around his past enough to be with me. Where before, he was unsure of himself and unwilling to be too near to me, now he is just the opposite. It's rare to find us not touching each other while together.

There have been a few times in the past month since Edward was ejected from the family that caused him a little worry, but not to me. His 'situations' are becoming fewer and fewer as the days go by, and he tells me that it's because of me, my presence grounds him like no other. I thought this might make his sister upset, as she is sitting right next to him as he says it. When he leaves the room for a moment a few minutes later, I try to apologize, to see if she is angry that I seem to be taking her 'job', her position in her brother's life.

But she surprises both myself and Jasper. She merely laughs at my reaction, assuring me that she is perfectly content with sharing her twin with me. That she doesn't feel like it takes away from her relationship with him at all, only adds to it, since she gains a sister in the bargain. Without thought, I bounce forward with vampiric speed to give her an impulsive hug. She tenses for a second, but then hugs me back.

Her next actions shock me. Hugging me tighter after a small hesitation, she buries her face in my neck and lets out a small, strangled sob. Alarmed, I look to Jasper to ask what's wrong. Only his eyes are clouded with unshed venom tears as well. He must be feeling her emotions right along with her.

"Bella, sweetie, why are you crying?" I ask.

Shaking her head, she only holds me tighter.

Tightening my arms around her small frame in return, though she's taller than me, I hold her as she cries on my shoulder. After a minute, she pulls back, wiping her tear stained cheeks sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't apologize. And any time you want a hug, just come get one. Okay? That's what sister's are for, right?"

She nods, giving me a small watery smile. Jasper distracts her then, his eyes still clouded with pain on his mate's behalf. They wander off to the other side of the den just as Isaiah reenters the room. I know he saw all of that from the look I see on his face. Skipping to him, I position myself under his arm and he guides me just outside the room.

Once we're out of sight, he pulls me into his chest and buries his face in my hair, inhaling my scent. Letting out his breath on a long sigh, he murmurs, "I don't think you really know what you just did for her."

I look questioningly into his warm brown eyes. "What do you mean? I know I may have startled her, but I hope I didn't scare her."

He shakes his head with a small smile. "Startle her? Honey, you just finished disproving every lie we've ever been told in a matter of seconds." His voice breaks as he looks at me in awe and wonder.

"I don't understand." What lies were they told and how did I just disprove them?

"I know you don't." His eyes close on a wave of pain. "And maybe I'll be able to talk about it some other time, but for now, all you need to know is that our entire lives, we've been led to believe that we don't deserve the love and affection others give freely. That there's something... wrong with us, to make us repellent to others in this way." I growl, picturing what that must have been like for my sweet mate and his sister. "But in less than a month of knowing you and Jasper and the Cullens, you've all pulled the both of us out of our past and into the present. Charlie helped, but it would have taken much longer with only him, I'm sure." Opening his eyes and brushing a soft, reverent kiss over my lips, he smiles down at me again. "Now come on. Izzy's getting nervous without me."

Following as he tugs me back into the den, I wonder idly as to how he always seems to know when his sister needs his presence. I asked him once, but he just shrugged and joked about something called 'twin telepathy'.

** **Bella POV** **

"You okay, Bells?" Charlie asks me over his pot roast that night at dinner. Isaiah wolfed his down in ten minutes flat and ran back to his room to play with his online friend. I didn't mind. Left me time to think.

"Yeah. Just thinking." I wanted to talk to him, but I wasn't sure how to start. I'm sure he wouldn't laugh at me if I said something wrong, but still.

"How's school going? Any problems with your classes so far." He knows about our transcripts and being transferred to a senior class. And he got the call from Professor Henson that day about Isaiah's condition. Apparently, Charlie already knew about it and had planned to go to the school that afternoon to inform the office discreetly about the situation, but was beat to it by Isaiah's outburst. He wasn't mad at his son, just upset that he was too late to prevent it.

"No problems there."

"That's good." Charlie is just as bad as me when it comes to talking about one's problems. He doesn't know what to say and doesn't want to seem like he's prying.

After dinner, my father and I tidied the kitchen together as I worked up the nerve to ask my question. Putting the damp dish towel on the stove handle to dry after the last of the kitchen ware is put away, I take a deep breath. On my expulsion, I blurt, "Dad, was Mother right?"

He stops sweeping the floor and stares at me in concern. "Was your mother right about what, Bells?"

This is harder than I thought it would be, admitting my insecurities to more than just myself. "Am I unlovable?" Hot tears burn my eyes and pour down my face as I stare at his feet, unable to meet his gaze in case his answer is not what I hope.

I shouldn't have worried, though. He moves forward, tossing the broom to the side and pulls me into his arms for a tight hug. I grip him hard, unwilling to let go. "Baby girl, you are the most lovable person I have ever met. That bitch is the unlovable one. I want you to realize that what she was doing to the both of you, all the abuse, it's not because of you or anything you think you may have done. _None of it!_ It's because somewhere down the path of her life, she became dark, twisted, and foul. Never think that anything that came out of that harridan's mouth is anything but a lie." He pulls back as far his arms will let him and makes sure I look him in the eyes. "You, Isabella, are a very sweet, caring, kind individual who has had my love from the moment you were born. And over the past four weeks you have gained, without a doubt in my mind, the love and respect of an entire family. So, no, baby girl, I don't believe you are unlovable. Exactly the opposite, in fact."

When fresh tears spill down my cheeks, he pulls me back into his arms and holds me while I cry. It's a very cathartic release after so long. And I vow these will be the last tears I spill over my dark past. I refuse to cling to my fears any longer. I want to move on. I _need _to move on. I need to live my life. And I know exactly where to start. With Jasper.

My decision made, I think on how to carry out my plan and smile as I walk up the stairs to my room to get ready for bed.

** **Jasper POV** **

_Three Days Later_

For three days now, the weather has been filled with warm, sunny days that refuse to let up, so the family decided on an extended hunting trip. Or camping, as we tell the fine people of Forks. It's depressing. Of course, I've been a little- okay, a lot depressed for about a month now. It's been a month since Alice got closer to her mate. I'll admit, I'm jealous that she is able to be close and affectionate with her other half.

Don't misunderstand. I would never begrudge my mate the time to come to terms with her past. Even if it takes another five months or fifty years for her to feel comfortable around me, I'll be here, waiting for her happily. But my inner beast says differently. It wants its' mate by its' side, NOW.

Because of my instincts raging at me, I've been stiff and possibly distant with Bella lately. I don't mean to be. I just don't want to scare her off. But the one time I let my beast loose, a week ago now, I thought I saw something in her eyes.

Emmett suggested a competition in the game room, just like any other day after homework is completed. When he tried to claim Bella as his teammate, I... may have lost my composure. I pinned him to the nearest wall, growling viciously in his face. When I worked my way above my beast again, I turned to look at Bella, unsure what I would find there.

I did not expect to feel my possessiveness mirrored in her emotions and on her face, tinged with splash of innocent arousal.

As I think back on that memory, trying to make sense of it, my irritation at my best friend and sister rises within me. Earlier today, I caught Alice looking at me with joyous glee writ all over and around her. When I asked what had her so happy, she merely grinned and said I would have to wait and see.

_I'm tired of waiting!_

I know she doesn't have to tell anyone what's she's seen, and I'm being childish, but she keeps looking at me like she knows _something!_

I try again to wheedle the information out of my best friend. "Come on, Alice! I know you saw something pertaining to me. Just tell me already. Put me out of my misery, sister."

She wags one dainty finger at me. "Uh-uh-uh. No can do, Jazz. It's a surprise, and I'm not ruining it. Besides, I know you'll _love it_! So just be patient, you sourpuss, or you'll ruin it." Her tinkling laugh echoes behind her as she runs off before I can interrogate her further.

_Gah! Demented pixie!_

** **Edward POV** **

_A month!_ It's been a month since I was ousted from my coven and disowned by my family. I wandered for a time, feeding when I was hungry and thinking the rest of the while. Reflecting on my time with my 'family', I realize a few things.

They never really appreciated me. They always acted like I was a nuisance. Each one of their thoughts only ever held annoyance in regards to me, while they loved the others. They never accepted me. Never wanted me as one of them. Not even Carlisle, my sire, my creator, my surrogate father.

And the one time I push for something I want, they refuse me. Instead, giving into the whims of my brother and sister. Like always. Poor Edward gets hoisted off to the back of their minds while everyone else lives a happy, carefree life.

_ It's not fair! _ _I stamp my designer shoe in the mud and filth below me as I think. _ _ItsnotfairItsnotfairItsnotfair! _ _Why shouldn't I have my family the way they've always been. Mine!_

I agreed to tolerate Esme when my sire found her dying in the hospital morgue. I even helped her settle in with our little family, happy to have a mother figure and a father figure.

I capitulated when Carlisle wanted to add Rosalie the Soiled to our family. Did I complain? Hardly!

And when Rose found her mate in Emmett instead of me, I was a gentleman about it and bowed out gracefully to the ignorant oaf of a man.

Then the demon pixie and monster of the Southern Vampire Wars turned up on our doorstep. Sure, I argued with Carlisle about his decision to let them stay, but only because I was worried for my family.

But now, when I finally put my foot down and attempt to right the wrongs in my family, I get treated like a pariah and sent away.

They think they can just kick me out? Like some common filth left to decompose on the sidelines. I don't think so. I will not be treated this way. There's no way I will let them get away with such a grievous insult.

I begin to plan my revenge on my former family and their useless, human toys. Heading back to Forks to check up on my 'precious family', an idea takes root in my mind.

_ Perhaps it's time to use the enemy of my enemy. I hear I may have an ally already amongst their ranks._


	10. Moving Forward

** **Bella POV** **

"Isaiah? Are you sure they said they would be returning today?" I ask for probably the millionth time today as my brother and I sit in the game room at the Cullen house.

My brother rolls his eyes at me as he plays _Son of the Empire _with his online friend. "Yes, Izzy, I'm sure they said they are coming back today. Alice told me that Wednesday is calling for more clouds and drizzle so they can return to school."

I sigh as I get up from the sofa and pace by the window, staring agitated out at the growing darkness in the forest behind the house. The Cullens have been gone for three days on an extended hunting trip. That means he's been gone three days. I don't know how Isaiah is dealing with his feelings, if they're anything like mine. I feel like a piece of me is missing that is vital to my survival and I can think of nothing else until it is returned to me.

For the past five weeks, we've hardly been apart. The only times we have been separated are when we _have _to return home for the night. And most Sundays, as my brother and I have deemed that day 'Charlie Day'- a day we spend entirely with Charlie if we're able, usually playing board games, watching movies, or spending the day out in town. Other than that, our time is spent together and I've learned so much about my Jasper.

He was a Major in the Texas Cavalry during the Civil War. Returning from an evacuation of a large city, he came across three women he thought to be lost evacuees. Stopping to help them was, he said, a very hard day to come to terms with. It was the day that changed his life forever. I wanted to be mad at them for stealing his human life from him, but I couldn't. If they hadn't, then he wouldn't be here with me. I got up the nerves to tell him this, and the look in his eyes set my heart racing. I was sure that if my brother weren't just on the other side of the room, I would have kissed him then, damn my insecurities.

When I'm not trying to learn more about his past, of which I'm sure he's not telling me something, we're discussing everything under the sun. Our likes and dislikes. Our dreams for the future. Our interests and hobbies. Many of the topics we discussed, we agreed on; though some we didn't, and that is okay. Those disagreements led to some pretty heated debates, one such debate actually had my brother coming over to distract me when he felt my temper rising.

I decided three days ago to 'escalate' our relationship. I feel pretty confident that he won't reject me. And the way he's always so focused on me, makes me believe there's nothing more important in this world to him than my happiness. Anytime I need something, he seems to be there. No matter how inconsequential. It makes me feel special, cared for. I've never had that before.

There's just one problem with my plan. I'm so nervous. I mean, I've never even held a guys hand! My brother definitely doesn't count. And now I'm contemplating _kissing_ one. What if I screw up? I don't know how to do things like this! If I mess this up, what might happen? Best case scenario, Jasper laughs at me. I think I can live with that. Maybe. Worst case, he's disgusted by my inexperience and doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. This, I wouldn't be able to handle. At all.

I shudder at the thought. Izzy looks up from his game. "You okay, sis?"

I try to assure him I'm fine, but something about my face must be giving me away.

"Yeah, okay. Sure. Whatever you say, Izzy." He lets the subject drop, thankfully, and returns to his game and his online friend. "Alright, Al, I'm back. Where's that dungeon chest key, again? … No, don't go running up ahead, you'll get lost again!"

Not wanting my brother to be any more privy to my agitation than he already is, I walk down to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Sitting at the breakfast bar with a perfect view out the large, floor to ceiling windows to the forest beyond, I try to plan what to do. How does one plan to kiss someone? Is there a certain way to go about it? Should I get my laptop and look it up?

No time for that plan of action, I see when I look out the back glass. Emmett and Carlisle are leading the Cullens through the trees at the edge of the forest. Rose, Esme, and Alice are ambling along just behind them as they chatter happily away, with Jasper bringing up the rear.

Getting up from my stool, I wait anxiously for them to enter the house, hoping that Jasper won't notice or at least won't comment on how nervous I am. I don't want him to worry. As he steps onto the porch and into the brighter light emanating from the kitchen, I see his tense and pinched expression ease. Looking up, he catches my eye through the glass. His smile is dazzling and warm as it washes over me.

The family comes through the back door one by one, leaving Jasper for last. I rush forward as soon as he's through the door. Throwing myself into his arms, I hug him as tightly as I can, surprising him. I've only initiated contact between us on a handful of occasions. But nothing like this.

His arms hesitate for a moment, unsure, but when I don't show any signs of letting go by burying my face against his chest and snuggling into him, they wrap around me and hold me as tight as he dares.

He purrs deep in his chest and I feel an answering warmth unfurl in my belly as butterflies take flight. "Evening, darlin'. Mighty nice welcome." His voice is a rich, deep baritone close to my ear.

Peeking up into his handsome face, I see his smile is as happy as a kid at Christmas. Let's hope my next move makes him just as happy?

Not daring to think before I act despite the blush burning my cheeks, I stand on my tip-toes as I reach my hands up to frame his beautiful face. Before I lose my nerve, I press my lips to his in a sweet, gentle kiss. His lips are cool, firm and still beneath my own, and right when I think I've made a mistake in kissing him, his arms tighten marginally around me as he returns my untutored kiss with fervor.

My happiness soars, my nerves fall away, and I give myself up to the rapture of his lips on mine. I feel the kitchen counter press into my back as he walks me backwards. Growling, he deepens the kiss, his hands gliding over and down my back to settle on my hips. Pulling me tight against him, I relish the welcome, heady feeling of him against every part of me as his tongue all but demands entrance.

My body feels hot and feverish when his tongue brushes my lips for the first time. Gasping, my mouth opens to him of its own volition. His sweet, cinnamon and leather scent is intensified by his proximity. Not knowing what I'm doing in the slightest, I listen to my instincts and touch my tongue to his.

I moan at the potent taste of him. His groan vibrates through his chest to mine and his tongue dances with mine. Experimentally, I suck gently at him and am rewarded by a small, sexy growl.

My desire fogged mind conjures a feeble thought. _I couldn't have imagined my first kiss to be any better than this right here. I don't ever want it to end._

He breaks the kiss and pulls back to look at me, the heat in his eyes mirroring my own, though I know mine is quickly shadowed by my shyness.

"Damn, darlin', that was..." His voice is rough and husky as he tries to find the words. I hope he can, because my brain is absolute mush. His right hand comes up to cup the side of my face tenderly and he simply says, "Thank you."

"For what?" Is that my voice? It can't be.

His thumb gently brushes my swollen lower lip, still heated from his kisses. "For being you. For trusting me enough to let me close."

I didn't think my blush could get any stronger. But it does as I whisper, "I do trust you, Jasper. More than I've ever trusted anyone."

He smiles warmly, his hard edges softened by the clear affection he's beaming at me. "And I trust you, Darlin'." The way he says the words makes me think he's saying something altogether different. Saying something that means so much more.

I nuzzle into his chest, hiding my flaming face and cursing my nerves for returning. The the doubts creep in and I can't seem to stop them.

Where do we go from here? What happens after this? Do we define the relationship? Let it go and see where it takes us? Will he want to do _that_? Beyond anything, I know I probably won't be ready to take our relationship that far for a while yet. But will he get mad if I say no? If I tell him I don't want to? I shiver involuntarily at the memories that these questions crop up, but I don't want to ruin the moment so I keep my worries to myself for now.

** **Jasper POV** **

_She kissed me._

_SHE KISSED ME!_

I can't help the shit eating grin that splits my face for hours afterwards. I know she's been getting more and more comfortable around us, around me, of late. But never did I let myself even begin to hope she was even close to this. After the things they've let slip about their childhood and the 'decisions' Alice got wind of that day, I figured she would have to come to me very slowly. I thought she would be too skittish for a while yet before she felt safe enough to be too near me. Hell, she barely lets Emmett touch her arm without jumping fair to make a frog jealous, and she loves Emmett. I've felt it in her emotions as they plan pranks or play games.

She's so sweet, so kind. I doubt she has a mean bone in her body. Just last Friday at school, a girl, Lauren Mallory, made a snide comment towards the twins about the rumors still making their way around about them. Isaiah fumed for an hour, but Bella merely smiled at her and told her to 'have a nice day' before leading her brother away. I probably would have eaten the stupid girl if it weren't for the fact that my Bella grabbed me by the hand and 'dragged' with her. Okay, so I went willingly, but this was one of the few times that Bella let me touch her and I was not giving that up.

I kiss the top of her head when I feel her shiver against me. Am I too cold for her? "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

She gives a small start and her eyes find mine. Maybe she didn't want me asking. I really wish I could feel her emotions. "I, umm, can I ask you a question and you not laugh?"

Why in the world would I laugh at her? "Of course. Ask me anything?"

She takes a deep breath. Then another. In the end, she tucks her face back into my shoulder and says in a rush. "I have no idea what I'm doing. I've never had a boyfriend before. That was my first kiss. And I don't know how to go from here." I'm pretty sure that if I weren't a vampire, all of that would have sounded like one long drawn out word.

With one hand I rub her back gently. With the other, I burrow my fingers in her mahogany waves and tilt her sweet face to look up at me. _God, I am one lucky vampire! _"Darlin', you don't need to know what you're doin'. You're doin' just fine, in my opinion. And I'm happy to be your first boyfriend. Ecstatic, actually." _First and only one if I have anything to say about it._ "I've never been in a relationship, either. So how about we learn together." I don't count Maria the Bitch-lord. That was not a relationship, it was an ownership. "And as for where to go from here, how about we go sit with you're brother and read awhile, Darlin'. You wanted to re-read that book for English Lit., right?"

Dazedly, she nods up at me with stars in her eyes. I hope she never loses that look for me. I know it's inevitable that she will, though.

Brushing my lips one last time over hers, I release her for the most part. Taking a hold of her hand, we go up to the game room to join her brother and Alice, who is sitting behind her mate cross legged in a leather chair.

As soon as we're settle on the love seat, Bella cuddles up to my side. Soon she's lost in her book while I read over her shoulder. Little by little I can feel her emotions trickling through whatever hides them from me. _Interesting. I wonder why I can't feel them one moment, and then I can the next. Maybe the same reason Edward couldn't read their minds? _The peace and contentment coming off of her is so soothing, I _nearly _begin to purr in front of her damn brother and Alice. _That would be embarrassin'._ Instead, I tuck my arm around her shoulders, her head leaning to rest on my chest as we continue reading in silence.

After a moment, I feel as if I'm being watched. Looking around, I see her brother watching me. Is he going to try and go all 'protective brother' on me? He hasn't up to now, never acting as if he was anything but content with his sister's choices.

I project a feeling of concern his way, hoping he gets the message without disturbing Bella. He seems to.

Setting his controller down in front of him, he spins around on the spot and pins me with an intent stare. A full minute passes before he says, "You'll take care of her?" He speaks so low, however, I know Bella would not be capable of hearing even one of his words even at such a close distance.

I project confidence and sincerity towards him as I nod. I will always protect what's mine. Anything she needs, I will be. I will stay by her side for the rest of her mortal or immortal life, unless she tells me to leave. And even then, I would stick around to watch over her, from a distance, of course.

Isaiah watches me for a few minutes more, his gaze flickering between myself and his sister. Satisfied with what he sees, apparently, he grins and turns back to his game. Looking around, I think he's searching for the controller he set down, but instead he reaches out and grabs hold of Alice where she's seated in the leather reading chair not far away and pulls her over to his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, he positions his hands on the controller in front of her. Effectively trapping her in while he plays with his chin resting on her shoulder.

To think, little over a month ago, Alice and I were still alone, drifting through life, barely hanging onto the life raft of our family/coven. Now, we had finally found solid land. We found our mates; or, more accurately, they found us. True, the mating bonds aren't complete, but that was only a matter of time and patience. I could wait for my Bella. I would wait for however long she needs.

Pressing a light kiss to my love's forehead, I listen as her breathing evens out and she falls asleep with the book still in her lap. I pull the throw off the back of the sofa and tuck it around her small frame, content to pass the next few hours with her resting in my arms.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

** **Charlie POV** **

I'm so proud of my kids. They've been working so hard to get over their past. I still wish they would go see a psychiatrist, but it's up to them. They're doing very well living their lives so far. And while I didn't like the idea of my little girl growing up, I'm glad she has someone in her life besides me and her brother. Now, if the fucker hurts her, on the other hand, I will bring the unholy wrath of a raging father down on the country boy's head. But that's neither here nor there. And Isaiah, I don't know what he's been doing to keep his 'situations', as he calls them, under control, but I haven't been privy to one in just under a month. I, personally, think it has something to do with that little Alice girl, but he hasn't said as much. Whatever makes my kids happy, makes me happy.

My thoughts are pushed to the side when my cell phone rings from where it lays on my desk as I sit writing up a few reports.

Picking up the device, I see it is Esme Cullen. I smile as I answer the phone.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Cullen. What can I do for you on this fine Thursday?" Speaking with Esme was always a nice change. The woman was so sweet and kind, it was hard not to like her.

_"Chief Swan, how many times must I tell you. Please call me Esme. We are practically family, after all."_

"Sorry, ma'am, but I'll continue addressing you as Mrs. Cullen as long as you address me as 'Chief Swan'."

_ "_ _Good point. Now, as for why I called you at work, Charlie- I am sorry for doing so, by the way."_

I wave away her apology. "No worries, Esme. What can I do for you?"

_"__You see, I couldn't help overhearing a conversation between Rosalie and Isabella yesterday after they returned from school." _She pauses, as if unsure of how to continue. _"Charlie, are you possibly aware your children don't know when their own date of birth is?"_

I am in the middle of taking a sip of coffee when I hear this. I have never done a spit take in my life, but I did at that moment. Simultaneously cursing and apologizing to the woman on the phone, I rush to clean up the mess I made all over my desk top.

Snatching up my phone when I'm done, I choke out roughly, "What do you mean... I mean, I never knew they..." _Christ, Swan, think, then talk._ "How could it be possible for them to not know their own birthday? It's used for everything."

_"I'm not sure, to be honest. It does seem strange, but there must be a reason, I suppose."_ She hesitates before asking, _"This may seem silly and whatnot, Charlie, but I was wondering if you would mind my family throwing the twins a birthday party? We could use your input for it, as well. Maybe use the party to reveal the day they were born."_ At my pause, she rushes on. _"I understand if that seems uncalled for given the circumstances, Chief Swan, but I just figured... well, their so reticent about discussing their past, I would hate to put them on the spot at all by alerting them that-"_

I chuckle and shake my head. "Esme, please. I like the idea. I think we should do it. When do you want to get started? Oh, and their birthday is on October 7th."

_"Oh, dear! That's in less than a week! We really should get moving fast if we want to get all of the invites out."_The rustling of paper can be heard over the line. _"Do you think they'll want to see any of their friends from Phoenix? Carly and I can offer to fly them up..."_

Wow, this family is something else. I clear my throat, uncomfortable. "Ah, I don't actually think that they had any friends in Phoenix. Certain... circumstances did not give them the opportunity to socialize much, I believe."

A pregnant pause follows. _"Oh, I see. Well, that means the invites will be a bit quicker, don't you think? How about you come over to the house this evening? I hear the twins are going to Port Angles this afternoon with Alice and Jasper. The rest of us could work on the details. See you then!"_By the time she cried off, without hearing my assent, her voice sounded scratchy. Like she wanted to cry but tears refused to fall.

Smiling sadly, I look back to my reports. I know I won't get much more work done today, but I set to it, anyways. The next few hours pass in a disjointed flurry of papers, keyboard strokes, and coffee refills.

Soon, I am pulling into the Cullen's drive, trying to think of what the kids would like in a birthday party. Do they like surprise parties? Would they even want a party to begin with? They obviously have never had one. That thought hurt me, remembering the precious childhood memories I never got to create with them.

_Enough, Swan, you have them now. So get your head out of the dark part of memory lane and get moving, you have a party to help plan._ I grin at the thought excitedly and climb out of my cruiser ready to plan a party.

** **Edward POV** **

I've been watching them for days now. They don't seem to notice my presence at all, though that may be because I've mostly stayed at the edge of my gifts distance limit. Fat lot of good that's done me. For some reason, every other time I try to tune into my family's thoughts, they are completely silent to me. Just like those two thieves' minds. I can't understand it, so I let it go as an anomaly.

Only occasionally have I ventured close to the house to get a closer look at them. Like the day _that female doppleganger_ kissed my former brother, thereby ensnaring the bastard further inside her web. The little bitch will pay for stealing him and the rest of my loving, doting family from me. 

_They were mine, dammit, all mine! _

Normally, I can't sneak up on any of them if Alice is around, but she hasn't seemed to warned them of my decisions in the slightest. Now, as I stand high up in a spruce at the edge of the trees to the back of the house, I watch as most of my family- sans Alice and Jasper- and the thing that spawned the thorns in my paw sit at the dining table. They appear to be going over plans of some sort.

Curious, I jump to a tall pine a bit closer to the house, sure to move silently, so as to hear what they are talking about.

"Do you know what their favorite colors are, Charlie?" My sister, Rosalie, asks the odious man sitting next to her looking at color pallets like they are out to get him.

Setting the apparently offending articles down, he thinks for a moment. "I'm pretty sure Bells' favorite color was lavender. Yeah. Light lavender. It's the color of her pillows and comforter, at least." He scratches his slightly scruffy chin then grooms his mustache while he thinks. "And I think I remember Isaiah mentioning something about a 'sea foam green'. I think I got that right. He repainted his room soon after he moved in. Boy seems to be pretty handy with a paint brush, too."

My loving father, always a courteous man, smiles at the dubious fellow. "I believe we can work with that quite well." He scribbles notes I know he does not need on a small note pad before him.

Esme- sweet, biddable, naive mother of mine- leans forward in her seat with a question of her own. "Now, on to food. What flavor cake do they like? Chocolate? Vanilla? White? Lemon?"

"Well, they aren't that big on sweets, actually. I asked them once if they wanted some candy from the store while I was out, and the look of disgust on their face was priceless, really." _That man_ laughs at a memory I cannot see. _HE'S SILENT TO ME, AS WELL?_ I nearly let loose a growl at the realization, almost giving away my position. _He_ goes on, ignorant of the beast struggling in the tree mere yards away. "I have... noticed, to say the least, that they are rather fond of sweet potato pie. To be honest, it's my favorite, too, but I feared, when I got it home, that if I stepped anywhere near it I was liable to get bit for my troubles. They scarfed that thing down faster than a you would think possible. I was good with that, though. Meant I got to keep all my digits." It chuckles at its' own little joke and my family joins in.

"Yeah, my little Bellsy-boo and Izzy-wizzy are kinda vicious like that." Emmett, my brother, my friend, talks of _them_ as if they are his precious -_gag-_ _siblings._

_ I honestly think I might be sick. And I wasn't aware we vampires had a gag reflex._

Jotting a few notes on my sire's notepad, my mother runs down the list of plans they're making. "Okay, so far we know the guest list, the color scheme, the preferred food, and the time and date of the twins' birthday party. Now all we have to decide is where? I'm thinking here, in the backyard. It might make them a little more comfortable."

The things' father nods, agreeing. "Just one more thing. I think it's best to let you all know, don't let either of them get a hold of anything with caffeine in it. You know, soda, coffee, other things like that. I'll warn you now, you do not want to deal with a hyped up duo like them. It was terrifying when it happened."

Rosie tilts her head in question, her stunning golden locks shifting like the smoothest stream. "Why is it a bad thing if they have any? People consume caffeine on a daily basis?"

He shudders. "Because just before I took them into the station with me a few weeks back, I made the mistake offering them coffee to help perk them up as it was rather early that I had to go in. Not knowing they had NEVER had the drink before." He let that information sink in. "By the time they took ten swallows, I was wishing I could hit the mute button and duct tape them to their chairs. I was so relieved when they crashed for the night." My precious family seems to be confused by this.

My father- he is so smart- explains. "You see, usually the tolerance for such a substance is built up in the body from a young age. Small doses to start off, and slowly growing in quantity. To be given a full cup of, no doubt, strong coffee as their first taste, I'm sure the twins were quite... difficult to manage." He goes on to explain to the human before him. "Due to our particular diet, Charlie, I have had to keep my children from consuming caffeine, as well."

My mother snaps the notepad closed before her. "Well, that should be more than enough to work with, Charlie. We'll send out the invitations in the morning and begin preparations. The party will be on the seventh of October, here at 4pm. If there's anything else you can think of, don't hesitate to let us know. Just remember, it's a surprise party, so don't tell the children."

The human is shown out after this, so I get away from the house and head towards my hideout deep in the forest.

So they're throwing a party for the useless little monsters? They think they can just move on without me, like I'm some inconsequential human, not worth their consideration. I'll show them. I'll show them all. Starting with that little bitch and the bastard that waltzed into my life and turned my world on its' head.

Whipping out my phone, I hit my speed dial. It picks up on the third ring. Slow ass piece of-

_"What do you want now?"_The voice on the other end growls out.

"Now, now, I have good news." I wait for my cohort to take the bait, but my words are met with yet another growl. This is no fun at all. "I know when we can make our move. Be ready by the seventh of October."

Another growl. _"You'd better not be fooling around, you goddamn bloodsucker, or it will be your head I crush."_The line goes dead before I can reply.

_ There really is no accounting for poor manners. Oh, well, some people just don't ever learn_. I think as I settle in to plan my revenge. I just know their blood will be sweet as it courses down my throat to nourish my aching heart, the heart they ripped out when they stole what is mine.


	11. Memories

** **Bella POV** **

_Six Days Later_

"Izzy!" I riffle through my chest of drawers in my room, huffing in annoyance. "Izzy!" I yell again, impatient. Then I begin to mutter as I have for the past half hour. "Where is it? Where is it? Where did I put it?" Giving up on the dresser, I turn to my closet and begin to shuffle and fling things hither and yon in my desperate search for the article I'm looking for. I feel myself becoming more and more irritated by the minute. "IZZY!"

My brother ambles into the room, snacking on a bowl of mixed vegetables.

_ Seriously? We're going out in less than an hour and he's eating? He is such a boy!_

"What can I do for you, sister dear?" He doesn't even bother to swallow before speaking and tiny bits of carrot fly out with each word.

_Nasty._"I can't find it. Have you seen it? I can't find it anywhere!"

He rolls his eyes and sets his bowl down on my desk. Putting his hands on his hips he looks at me and asks, "And what, pray tell, are you looking for?"

I sigh loudly in my annoyance. "The hoodie. The Texas Longhorns hoodie that they gave us when we were seven. You remember. Please tell me you know where it is." As I speak I continue rummaging around my room, even going so far as to dive under my bed to search there, knowing that I keep the space clean and clear at all times. _Doesn't matter. Need to find it. I have to have it for a day like today!_

This hoodie was given to us by our saviors, the red-eyed nomads, on the day they left us alone with our mother a few weeks after saving us from being eaten. They promised that we would be okay, that they would see us again when we were older. My brother and I clung to that promise for years, knowing they would never lie to us. That man and his wife taught us that there were actually decent people in the world. They taught us that there was more than pain and darkness and that there were those out there willing to fight for those weaker and wanted to live a good, happy, safe life without fear anywhere near the mix.

_I cannot lose this hoodie!_

I hear my brother leave the room as I come out from under the bed. Shrugging, hoping that he was going to look elsewhere, I continue my seemingly fruitless search for the lost hoodie. Finally sighing, I plop down on my bed, hanging my head in dejected failure.

The one thing we had left of them. The only thing that told us that they were real and not a fever dream to our, at the time, adrenaline and fear laced childish minds. And I lose it foolishly, like a toy that no longer mattered. Like_they_no longer mattered.

Soon, I feel tears running down my face as my realization sets in. My shoulders begin to shake. I draw my knees up to my chest, wedging my head between my upraised legs, I cover my head with my hands. Trying to stifle my sobs out of habit, I fail miserably. After a few minutes, I feel a hand come to rest on my head. Looking up, I see Isaiah standing before me with a smile, big as the sun, on his face. In his free hand is a worn and tattered hoodie that has surely seen better days after ten plus years of loving wear and tear.

"Hey, now. Don't cry. See? I found the hoodie. We packed it with my things, remember? 'Cuz I was the last to wear it." He sits on the bed next to me and pushes the hoodie into my still shaking hands.

"I thought I had lost it." I hiccup pathetically. "I thought that..."

Isaiah drapes his arm over my shoulder and tugs me into his side. "I know what you thought, sis. Remember, twin telepathy?" He assures me with a big goofy 'Isaiah' grin. "Besides," He pauses, getting serious as he looks me in the eyes, "we will never forget them. Not ever. They helped make us into the people we are. In a way, they helped us get here, to Charlie and the Cullens. I mean, after all, it was them who gave us the start up capital to begin our investment company. Which led to all the rest. So... even if this jacket falls to pieces this very moment, we still have the promise they made us all those years ago. We will see them again. Maybe not very soon, maybe tomorrow, but we will."

I sniffle, wiping my tears. Nodding, I get up to brush off the faded hoodie and lay it out at the foot of my bed. I give my brother a watery smile and begin to right the massive mess that is my room.

"Hey, don't worry about the mess right now. We have to get going in less than half an hour. Don't forget, you still have to get dressed. Unless you want to go to the birthday party at the Newton's in nothing but your jammies?" He ducks the shirt I chuck at his head while grabbing his snack and dashing for the door, laughing the whole time.

Shaking my head and grinning at his retreating back, I begin to dress for the evening. Six outfits and three mini meltdowns later, I finally settle on my usual. Faded, well worn skinny jeans, a plain t-shirt, and black converse. My outfit is completed by the previous hoodie I grab up from the bed. As I descend the stairs, I wonder again why the Newton's were having their son's birthday party in the middle of the week. It being only Wednesday, I would have thought they would wait until the weekend, as I have heard most other people held such events. Isaiah and I had never had the opportunity to go to such things, but we had heard of them from other children, television, and the internet.

"Hey, Bells, excited for the party tonight?" Charlie seems excited and nervous enough for all of us. I guess I can understand why. This is the first time Izzy and I have left the house outside of school and Cullen's without him.

"Yeah!" Not all of my enthusiasm is faked. I am definitely nervous about the crowd of people supposed to be there, but there were supposed to be adults overseeing the rowdy teens, which is one of the main reasons Charlie is allowing us to go. "Do you know if Isaiah is ready?"

Speak of the devil, he comes out of the living room, stretching. "Yup! Ready to go when you are, Izzy."

"Cool, let's go, then."

Saying our goodbyes to Charlie, we promise to not do anything foolish. We just shake our heads and throw him a look that says 'do we look stupid?' and then head for the door. Getting into our father's truck, I start the engine after buckling up. The whole way to the Newton's place over on Brunswick, Isaiah and I are imagining what the party might be like. We've never been to a party before. Even the ragers our mother threw in our own home were, thankfully, closed off from us. Even if we weren't locked in our rooms or out of the house during them, we would not have gone. Bad things happened during and after those parties of hers. And we both had the scars to prove it.

Pulling onto Brunswick, I see that there is almost no parking anywhere in sight. After about ten minutes of slow creep-crawling, I finally find a spot that will accommodate the ancient Chevy beast, and put it in park. Hopping out, I wait for my brother to join me. He and I are almost bouncing in place, just like Alice usually is. When we both notice, we make a conscious effort to stop and grin stupidly at each other.

Quickly making our way up the street back towards the party, I take in all the people that are there. Much to my surprise, I even see some of the reservation kids in attendance as we draw closer. Hoping that the trouble-making Paul isn't there, we approach the front door cautiously. Mike answers the door and invites us in after awkwardly accepting the gift card we got him for his birthday. I had researched for hours on what an appropriate gift would be for the guy. We didn't know him very well but we were still invited to his birthday celebration, so we felt we should get him something. After hours of deliberation and many consultations with Charlie, we finally settled on a $1,000 gift card. Isaiah said he would love to have gotten a gift like that, so surely Mike would appreciate it. Hopefully it wasn't too small an amount. We didn't want to insult him and his family, after all.

Entering the house was almost like entering into an overheated oven. Bodies were pact everywhere. Guys, girls, young freshmen all the way to barely graduates. It seemed like every youth in and around Forks was here tonight. As we pass a group of clearly gossiping girls, I get a strong whiff of something that is obviously tequila. Looking over to Isaiah, I see a memory register in his eyes, but he quickly fights it off. _She _loved that particular spirit.

Grabbing his arm, I lead him to where Mike told us the drinks were set up. In the kitchen, we locate a few cans of iced cola. Grabbing them, we begin to stroll around, looking for someone we know. We already knew the Cullens would not be here tonight. They didn't care to socialize too much in the towns they lived in. Just barely enough to say they are present, then they leave as if they never existed. Though it kind of made me sad that I wouldn't see Jasper until tomorrow, I still couldn't shake my excitement over being here.

"Bella! Isaiah!" My twin and I turn in tandem when we hear the voice of one of our few actual friends calling us from behind. Angela Webber pretty much towers over the other students and teens surrounding her with her athletic 6'1'' build. Many could be forgiven for thinking her a runner or gymnast or something sporty like that, but in reality, she is a shy, bookish, sweet girl with a heart of gold. As she approaches us, she beams. "Hey, guys. It's different to see you two outside of school. Are you having fun?"

I nod, smiling up at the vivacious girl. "We just got here ourselves, but yeah, we're having a good time already."

"Lots of people here, though, isn't there?" Izzy runs his finger under his collar, plastering a smile on his face as he breathes deeply. He's been doing well with his 'situations' until now, but his other coping mechanism, Alice, isn't by his side right now. I see him practically shake himself and then throw a casual glance into Angela's nearly empty cup. It's a citrusy smelling concoction without even a hint of the antiseptic smell of most alcohols.

Seeing the direction of his gaze, the bespectacled girl offers him the cup. "It's really good. It's something called 'June Bug Juice'. Want to try it?" Seeing the doubtful look on Isaiah's face, she adds, "Oh, don't worry, it's non-alcoholic, I swear. And more bitter than sweet, too."

With a relieved smile, Isaiah trades her his unopened cola for the rest of her cup with a quick, "Thanks."

Angela turns to me. "So, Bella, had a chance to read that vampire fiction I suggested? I know it may be a bit middle school level, but I thought it was really interesting."

"Oh, yeah!" I say excitedly. "I especially like the part when Vlad meets Uncle Otis for the first time. And the way they portray vampires seems so real, even considering they're myth and lore."

"I know, right? My thoughts exactly!"

Angie and I fall into a comfortable conversation on which vampire books are more 'accurate' and which are not, which only leads us to talking about vampire movies we've both seen. She thinks _Interview with a Vampire_is a good portrayal of how vampires would be if they were real.

_ Oh, Angie, if only you knew. They are so much more full of... light._ I grin at my own thoughts.

My grin quickly fades, however, when a surly and belligerent voice calls out to my left. "Hey! Hey, you!"

From the corner of my eye, I see Isaiah tense up to my right as he eyes the clearly drunk fool coming up to our little triad. Hoping things won't turn out like they did before, I face the oncoming teen and brace myself.

"Yeah! I'm talfin'... talkin' to you." He says when he stops a few feet away, pointing a wavering finger at me and my now irate brother.

I grab Isaiah's arm and squeeze gently, hoping he'll get the message. "Can we help you with something, Paul?"

The idiot leers at me, "Hell yea, sugar! Ya can finally take me up on that offer I made a few months ago!" His voice is loud and grating on my nerves, not to mention his words themselves.

I feel Izzy lurch beside me, ready to attack the jerk, but I hold him back for now. "Listen, Paul. We really don't want any trouble. We only came to wish Mike a Happy Birthday and to have a good time. Please just-"

His smile becomes even more lurid. "Oh, I can helf... help ya have 'good time', if'n I know wha' ya mean. I mean, if'n ya know wha' I mean. Yea." Seeing the obvious look of disgust and horror on my face, his face morphs into drunken, unstable anger. "WHAT? 'Mm not good enough for ya, ya penny piz whore? Ya think that cowboy mudderfucker is better than me? I bet ya let e'ery man in that Cullen horde lay 'tween those pale little thighs of yurs. Bet they have ya squealing like a bitch in heat, too." His speech is slurred all over the place, but his words are clear enough to understand.

My anger snaps against the restraints I have on it, struggling to present itself. Closing my eyes, I concentrate on not losing my temper, knowing it would be a disaster. But because of this, I lose my hold on my still straining brother. He darts out from behind me faster than a bullet and grabs Paul by his drunken throat and drags him outside. Everyone makes a path for the two, wary of getting anywhere near my twin's 'warpath'.

Once outside, Isaiah tosses the soused fool onto the damp grass at the back of the property. Waiting for the dark haired teen to rise from his prone position, Isaiah folds his arms and glares him down. As Paul struggles back to his unsteady feet, a good portion of people at the party gather outside to watch.

Once Paul is on his feet, he levels Isaiah with a hazy, malevolent glare. "What d'ya'wan, ya fucker? Culdn' ya see I was talkin' to yur whore o' a sis'er?" Slurred or not, the guy's words only stir my brother up more.

But surprisingly, Isaiah merely takes a deep breath and lowers his head for a moment. When he speaks, his tone is dark and dangerous. "The ONLY reason your ass isn't flat on the ground calling for your mother at this very moment, you sick fuck, is because you are drunk and your judgment is impaired. But that is the limit of my self control. I will give you one chance to apologize and walk the fuck away, you got that?"

Paul continues to glare, then says, "Wha'? Too afraid ta take me on wit'out Sammy comin' to save you this time? Tell ya wha', if I can beat ya 'til ya can' stand no more, I get ta take yur pretty li'l whore o' a sis'er home wit' me. How 'bout-?"

The bastard never finished his statement. Isaiah lurches forward, aiming a right hook directly into his nose. Paul, being too drunk to withstand such an attack, falls to the ground, dazed and clutching his injured face.

"Until you can't stand, huh? I believe I can meet those requirements, you dumb son-of-a-"

"Stop!" Sam Uley steps out of the crowd to stand between the two men. _Wow, deja vu anyone?_

Isaiah faces Sam with a look of pure contempt. "Are you here to ask me to let the fucker go again? Because I can guarantee you I won't be doing so, Sam Uley. This is the second time he has insulted my sister, and I won't let him get away with it with only a bloody nose. He alluded to sexually assaulting my sister, and I'll be dead and gone before I let anyone lay a fucking hand on her!"

It seems the young man didn't have a response other than, "Assault? Paul would never-"

Before the guy's savior could get any further, though, a flash of black hair and tan flesh flew past Sam and barreled into Isaiah, thudding into his chest and knocking them both to the ground. The two men wrestled only for a second before it was clear who had the upper hand.

Isaiah rolled on top of Paul, pinning him with his weight resting on his chest. My brother proceeds to lay into the now sodden lout with hellish fury.

"Don't. You. Ever. Think. About. My. Sister. Again. Don't. Ever. Come. Near. Us. Again. You. Piece. Of. Shit." Each word is succinctly punctuated with a firm punch to the face, whipping Paul's head back and forth.

Seeing that Paul was now passed out either from the beating or the alcohol, I run to stop Isaiah as he pulls back for another punch. Grabbing his arm, I hold on tight. He startles and looks up at me, then back down to his now unconscious opponent. The tension leaves his body for the most part, and he rises away from the ground to stand next to me, avoiding the eyes of the people surrounding us. I take his arm and start to lead him away from the gathered crowd, knowing he would need to be away from everyone for a moment.

Leading him around the side of the house, I look for a hose to rinse Isaiah's bruised and bloodied knuckles under. Finding one a few feet along the side, I help him clean his shaking hands. As the blood is washed away, I see that not only was a fair bit of Paul's blood covering his fingers, but his own, as well. Several of his knuckles are split and bloodied, raw and angry looking in their jagged state. Gently, I scrub a little more insistently at these, making sure any contaminates are gone. We both know how bad even a minor infection could get.

Pulling his hands away when I finish, he shoves them gingerly into his pockets and hangs his head. "I'm sorry. I should have kept my temper better. It's just..."

"I know, Isaiah. I wanted to do the same, you know?" He looks up at me in surprise.

"You're not close to-"

"No, idiot, I'm not. I've gotten much better control than that over the years, thank you very much."

We both fall silent after this. We listen as the party goers return to the house and Paul is hauled off by Sam. It isn't long until it seems everyone has gone back to normal.

Izzy shuffles next to me. "Maybe we should find Newton. Maybe we should go home? I'm sure I put a bit of a damper on everyone's mood."

I nod silently and follow him back to the others. A few minutes later, we find Mike in the kitchen laughing with a group of his close friends.

"Hey, Isaiah!" He calls excitedly, waving us over. "Get over here, will you?"

Cautiously approaching the island they are all gathered around, my brother says, "Look, Mike, I'm sorry about what happened. I didn't mean to upset anyone and-"

"Dude, are you kidding?" The dirty blonde boy looks at Izzy in clear surprise. "Man, you did what all of us have wanted to do to that jag-off for years now. Practically since we were all in diapers."

Ben Cheney pipes up next. "I swear, if that jerk isn't making rude comments about the ladies around town, then he's picking a fight with some poor, unsuspecting kid off the street."

"Yeah, just last week, Jess was walking home after work when the piss-ant cornered her with a couple of friends and tried to hurt her in god-knows-what ways." Eric sounds as disgusted as he looks.

Mike nods solemnly. "True. I heard that if it wasn't for Police Chief Swan, my girl would've been in a bad way. As it is, she was only a bit shaken with a bruised wrist."

Isaiah shakes his head, confused, "Wait... you're not mad at me. I just beat a guy into unconsciousness in your back yard."

Mike laughs loudly along with everyone else in the room. "Dude, chill out! If anything, the whole freakin' town is gonna hero worship you once this story gets around. Sure, the parents will probably give you some flack over it, but just keep your head down and I'm sure you'll do fine."

My twin looks to me, maybe for confirmation that this all is indeed real. I smile at him and he smiles back, slowly. We turn to the group, and let the conversation flow easily around us. After a bit, Angela joins us and we pick back up our earlier conversation right where we left off. Now, though, Isaiah engages Eric in a discussion about some computer program or other. I don't know, nor do I really care.

We are accepted here. They aren't outing us because we defend ourselves. They don't look at us with sideways glances because we act oddly. We... fit in here, maybe? It feels like it, and I like the feeling.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

Just as the sun is rising the next morning, I am awoken very rudely by a thumping and a bounce. The thumping is my door opening too quickly and the bounce comes when someone- who wishes to die- comes to sit on my bed. I do my best impersonation of a growl and pull my blanket tighter around myself and up over my head. I hope if I play ostrich long enough, they'll just go away.

_No such luck!_

A cold hand grasps my still exposed one and another pulls the covers away from my face. Jasper's smiling face is revealed to me, and he's lucky he's my vampire boyfriend, or he would already be a writhing mess on the floor.

"Now, now, darlin', is that anyway to feel so early in the mornin'?" He drawls softly, his grin getting a little wider with each minute that passes of me blearily glaring at him. I send him a whopping helping of irritation and lethargy before closing my gritty eyes again. "Wow, that's, um, powerful. How late did you two get in last night?"

I think back to the last time I glanced at the clock after Isaiah and I returned home. Christ! Did we really get in around three in the morning? I mumble as much to Jasper, hoping he will have pity on the dying and leave me in peace.

He chuckles at my dramatics. "You're not dying, sweetpea. I promise. But no wonder your dad called Esme in a fit. You two are never late for school or anything, so when you didn't wake up no matter what he tried, he panicked before he finally left for work about ten minutes ago."

"What do you mean? What time is it?" Worried, I half sit up on the bed, my covers falling to reveal most of my clothes from the night before. I was so tired when I got home last night, I didn't even think to bother about changing, merely shucked my socks, shoes, and jeans before falling into my bed. Looking frantically over at the alarm clock I see it reads 7:08 a.m. We have less than an hour to get to school if we don't want to be late.

I'm so lost in my sleepy thoughts, I don't really register how Jasper tenses next to me for a moment. When I do, he looks up when he feels my concern. He leans towards me and sniffs deeply. He growls a little, then sniffs again as if to verify the a scent. With this intake, he growls even louder while his eyes go a little darker than their normal golden hue.

"Uh, Jasper, what's wrong, cowboy?" My sleepy mind tries to fight the fog away in my concern. It's a mostly losing battle, though I still try.

Another rumble before, "Who did you meet with last night?"

Odd, but whatever. "Just the people at Mike's party. Mostly the other kids from school, a few from the Rez, too. Why?" I've never seen Jasper like this. So... dark and domineering. I can tell he is trying not to let his instincts rule his actions at the moment, but I have to admit, the look in his eyes and the growl now rumbling steadily in his chest are kinda hot.

"Because I can smell... someone on you. A vampire." He leans a little closer and inhales once more. "It's familiar, but so faded I can't seem to get a good handle on who it is." By this time, he's practically nuzzling my neck in his effort to distinguish the scent.

When my voice comes again, it is decidedly husky. "Um, cowboy, that scent is probably-" Just then, I feel his lips graze my neck, trailing up to my jaw in small butterfly kisses. His growling has almost completely morphed into a purr and he seems to be exhaling quite a bit. With a gasp at this new sensation, my head falls to the side, allowing him better, unfettered access to the skin he is exploring.

His hand comes to rest on the opposite side of my head while his lips continue to trail kisses from the corner of my mouth, down my neck, and back again. On his third foray up, I can stand it no more and turn to meet his lips with mine. We come together in a searing kiss that brands me down to my soul. Moaning softly, I run my hands up his back and settle them in his hair at the base of his neck. Still not entirely sure of myself when it comes to kisses, I lightly run my tongue over his bottom lip like he has done before and am rewarded with him opening his mouth to me with a heady groan.

** **Jasper POV** **

The only coherent thought in my mind at this very moment is to mark what is mine. Mark her, claim her. Show the world she's mine for all eternity. I can smell another man, besides her brother, all over her. Every instinct within me is pushing and goading me to rip the offending scent from her and cover it with my own.

Her tongue brushes my lips and with a groan, I happily grant her entry. Her tongue rushes in and dances with mine in a hedonistic fashion that, if I were human, would have surely made my head spin. Instead, my hands push the blanket further from her torso, leaving only her legs covered. Letting my hands travel down her body, I skate them down to the hem of the jacket she is wearing. Though I want to rip and tear it from her, I control myself long enough to pull it up over her head, only breaking the kiss for a moment.

Our mouths crash back together as I throw the offending bit of clothe across the room to land in a wrinkled mess in the corner. This time, it is my turn to explore her mouth. I love the moans that I can pull from her, her hands fisting again in my hair, her body pressed to mine hip to hip. Slowly, but surely, I can smell my scent covering the other male's and it makes me purr all over again.

Knowing it will help my endeavor, I adjust myself so I am sitting parallel with her on the bed. I pull Bella closer to me, leaning us both into the headboard as I pull her still covered legs to align with mine. The whole time, I keep kissing her like my undead life depends on it. Realizing she will need to breath whereas I do not, I break away from her sweet kiss to trail kisses down her throat again, stopping over her pulse I gently suck the spot where her neck and shoulder meet.

The moan she emits is so sexy, I suck a little harder and longer than I mean to and probably leave a bruise. Just before I smell her potent arousal, I feel it building within her. Both of my senses are temporarily overwhelmed and before I know it, she's under me, my lips crushed to hers, a growl/purr vibrating through my chest. Easing most of my weight from her so as not to crush her, I slant our mouths for a deeper, fuller kiss.

Unable to stop myself, my hands begin to wander over and down her body. Stopping at her perfect breasts, I brush my thumbs over her already peaking nipples. Her gasps and moans are heaven and I let my hands wander further down, towards her hips and her pajama bottoms beyond.

_'__...and her pajama bottoms beyond.' Where the fuck are her pants?_ I feel myself freeze over her as my hands come into contact, not with her pj's like I thought, but directly with her tiny little panties. _Fuck me sideways and call me bastard!_

I feel her nervousness and apprehension, though it's still tinged with a large helping of desire. I know she feels the same for me as I feel for her. I can feel her love for me every time we're together, but I also know she isn't ready. Not for this. And I won't make her feel like she has to do this in order be with me.

Cooling the kiss, I pull back to small licks and nips of her full lower lip, slowly calming us both from the raging inferno the impromptu make out session had become. Finally breaking away, I'm glad, nonetheless, that her breathing is heavy and erratic, just like mine. I'm even happier to note that my original goal is accomplished and the other male's scent is gone from her. My inner beast nods with gruff approval and goes peacefully back to its' cage.

"Darlin'..." I may not need to breath, but I can't help but to gasp my words. "Sorry for pushing you like that. I just... You smelled so..." I look into her deep, doe-like eyes and that's when I feel her amusement on my behalf. Grinning at her, I say, "I love you, darlin'." And then freeze all over again. I don't think that, by human standards, we are to the 'I love you' phase yet, and I register her small well of shock at my words.

It is quickly overshadowed by joy and acceptance... and even better, overwhelming love directed at me. She ducks her head to cuddle into my neck. I feel the blush rise up her neck like a soothing wave of warmth. "I love you, too, Jasper." She said this almost too low for even me to hear, but she said it all the same.

"Bella, I- Listen, I don't want you to think you have to reciprocate my feelings. If it's too soon, I understand." I hug her a bit tighter to me. "I just wanted you to know how I feel."

She puts her finger gently over my mouth, stopping my words in their tracks. Raising her head and meeting my eyes, she takes a slow, deep breath and her courage is bolstered. "Jas, I've loved you for a while now. Probably since we met. Yeah, for others it may be too soon to feel this way, but Charlie gave me and Izzy some good advice a few weeks ago."

Kissing her finger and taking her hand in mine, I ask, "And what was that, Darlin'?"

"Basically, he told us not to let others dictate what our lives will be. Take our own time in doing things, don't let others rush us. Go at our own pace." She curls into me again. "I feel comfortable with you. Safe. I've never had that before." I hold her tighter as she continues. "I don't feel rushed or pressured to feel or be something I'm not. I love you. Simple as that. I don't feel like it's too soon. Do you?" With the last question, she looks up at me with her doe-like eyes and I can see the silent pleading deep within.

Leaning my forehead against hers, I exhale with relief. Sending her all the love and contentment I feel, I say, "No, Bella. I won't lie. I knew exactly what you were to me from the moment I laid eyes on you. I knew you were mine. I knew it would only be a short matter of time before I fell in love with you. And I will never come to regret the journey one bit, baby."

Tears well in her eyes. "Oh, Jasper, I feel the same." With that, she kisses me with soul-searing sincerity. By the time she breaks away for breath, we are both 'hot and bothered' again. "And I have a feeling that our journey has only just begun, cowboy."

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

An hour later, we make our way downstairs to get the human something to eat. As we pass through the upstairs hall, I just barely catch sight of Isaiah dashing into the bathroom with a bag of toiletries. Entering the kitchen a moment later, I see Alice sitting at the table, tapping her fingers in agitation.

I smell the fading arousal coming from my best friend and I grin. "Morning, Alice. Interestin' time waking up Isaiah?"

She glares at me, but I can feel her amusement. And frustration.

_Yeah, girly, I know just how you feel._

I sense, more than feel, Isaiah enter the kitchen behind me. His body heat is a bit lower than it should be. And he when he comes into my field of vision, I catch him throwing heated glances towards Alice. _Oh, for the love of god! The man's goin' to ruin the effects of the cold shower he just took if he keeps this up. Not to mention what y'all's lust is doin' to my control._

Sending the two of them a small wave of peace and calm, I bring the sexual frustration in the room down a few notches. Shaking my head, I take a seat across from Alice and watch the two putter around the kitchen. Just like in class, they move as if they are dancing a well known ballet that is only choreographed for the two of them. As Bella stands next to her brother, the two making sandwiches from the looks of it, he reaches across her for a utensil. She bumps his hip with hers. He bumps her back. They grin at each other, then get back to work. Finishing their task, Isaiah puts away the left over materials and Bella washes up the knives and such.

"So, how late are you two planning on being to school?" Alice asks when they finish their breakfast.

The two look at each other for only a second. "We're ditching." They answer in unison.

"Ditching? Really?" I ask. It's strange for them not to act 'responsibly'.

Bella shrugs. "We've never ditched school before. Besides, we caught a few glimpses of our teachers' plans for this week. We already know it all and have the work ready to be turned in."

"Besides, I thought of something more interesting I would rather do today."

Alice leans forward towards Isaiah. "Oh, what's that?"

Isaiah grins widely and leans a little closer to her. "Wanna go shopping in Seattle today?"

The squeal that rips out of my friend's mouth is ear piercing and painful for a vampire. And apparently for the humans, too, because they cringe and slap their hands over their ears, though they don't stop smiling at Alice's over exuberant enthusiasm. She is bouncing around the kitchen like a giddy toddler. Bounding back to Isaiah, she plops down gently in his lap and plants a million kisses all over his face.

"Do you mean it? You really want to go shopping with me?" I didn't know a vampire could sound breathless, but there I have it. Alice is so happy, _I_ can't help but grin.

Isaiah gives her a quick kiss, then gets up and sets her on her feet. "Just give me minute to grab my shoes and jacket and we can head out." He turns to Bella and asks, "Izzy, do you mind if I use the hoodie today?"

He looks so hopeful, like her answer means life and death to him. My Bella just nods in answer and goes back to sipping her orange juice and watching Alice dancing around the kitchen with a smile on her face. It doesn't take long for Isaiah to re-enter with shoes on and jacket in hand.

Taking a closer look at the hoodie I see in his hand, my inner beast growls when I see the well worn and faded Texas Longhorns hoodie hanging from his grip. The same one Bella was wearing earlier.

"Um, Jasper? You okay, man?" Isaiah asks uncertainly.

Blinking, I say, "Yeah. But if you don't mind, can you tell me where that jacket is from? It... smells."

Alice gets closer to it and sniffs cautiously while Isaiah laughs. "Dude, we wash it regularly. And it can't smell that bad, Izzy just wore it last night."

"It doesn't smell bad, Isaiah. But I think I know why Jasper is offended by the scent on it." Alice says thoughtfully. "It smells like another male vampire. And if that was on Bella, it probably triggered some... instincts, is all." She laughs at the look on her mate's face. "Just out of curiosity, where did you get that... article of clothing from?" Her nose wrinkles delicately in disgust.

My Bella falls over the table laughing. "Does it offend your fashion sense so much that you can't even call it was it is?"

Instead of getting irritated like she normally would with any other member of our family, Alice smiles indulgently at my mate. "Why, yes, Bella. It just so happens that it does. I mean, do you even see that gaudy shade of orange. It's atrocious!"

"Ha! Got it. Texas Orange is off the present list for you, missy." God, her smile is beautiful.

"Damn right it is!"

"Now, Alice, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm getting myself into by going shopping with you, but there is one thing I will not throw out once you have me in all new clothes." Alice tilts her head questioningly. "This jacket goes no where. It stays, okay?" When she nods reluctantly, he turns to me. "And to answer your guys' questions, this hoodie was given to us when we were seven, by the vampire that saved us from being killed."

My brow furrows while I think. There's no way the scent on that jacket could be ten years old. Unless the vampire wore the damn thing every day for a good long while. The scent is faded quite a bit, and covered by a lot of other things. So, maybe, it _is _their saviors scent.

"Why have you guys kept it after all this time? Surely, you two have had better jackets, right?" Alice asks innocently.

This time, it is Bella to answer with a soft smile blooming on her face. "Because it reminds us of the promise they made."

"What promise was that, darlin'?" I ask.

"Before they left, they stayed with Isaiah and I for six months. We practically lived with them half the time. And when they told us they had to move on, we were... a mess, to say the least. But they promised that they would see us again. That they would come back to make sure we were okay and didn't need anything." Bella's smile turns wistful at her thoughts.

Isaiah looks sad as he says, "I can't even describe how bad the beatings were during those six months they stayed with us. But it was worth it, 'cuz they would always greet us with a smile and treat our wounds like they were nothing. They fed us and kept us warm and alive for those six months. When they left, they gave us this jacket, saying it would keep us warm and remind us that there are good people in the world, just overshadowed a lot by the actions of the bad ones."

My inner beast rattles its cage at the thought of my mate being in such danger at such a young age and I wasn't there to protect her. I can see venom tears cresting in Alice's eyes at their story, but she quickly wills them away.

Putting a forced, shaky smile on her face, Alice asks, "How was one jacket supposed to keep the both of you warm?"

The twins look at each other. After a moment of thought, they both nod. Bella scampers upstairs and comes back down a moment later with a small photograph in her hands. She hands it over to me and Alice comes to look over my shoulder.

What I see floors me.

I see Isaiah and Isabella. They are both practically swallowed in their new-to-them hoodie while wearing it at the same time. Knowing they're supposed to be roughly seven in this photo, I dredge up all the knowledge I have learned from Carlisle about human growth rates over the years. A few mental calculations later, and I realize that they only look to be four or five at the most. Their bones, in the few places I can see their skin and outlines, are pressed against their skin due to severe malnutrition and their lips are chapped from what must be dehydration. I can see one of their hands each, and their faces are showing above the neck line. Every visible patch of skin has a bandage wrapped on it. And the bits that somehow don't, seem to have just fading scars disappearing from their skin. They were looking up at the two people in the photo with them with something akin to hero worship in their eyes, like the two vampires could do no wrong in their eyes.

The two vampires that I knew.

I see Isaiah nudge his sister from the corner of my eyes. "You know, sis, if they hadn't given us the start up capital for our investments, we would probably be a lot worse off right now." He laughs, seeming not to noticing Alice's and my reaction. "In fact, I'm pretty sure if they hadn't helped us that year, we probably would have died before the summer was out."

My eyes fly up to meet Alice's gaze. She's so shocked, her emotions are numb for the moment. Looking at each other, I know we are thinking along the same lines.

_ Peter and Charlotte Whitlock, my Captain and Lieutenant, saved my mate and her brother before I even knew they existed._

My phone dings in my pocket. I take it out slowly, already knowing who it is.

_ '_ _You're welcome, Major! By the way, they call us Uncle Peter and Auntie Char! Give our babies hugs from us, will you? We'll be seein' ya at their birthday bash. -PW&CW'_


	12. Retrieval or Ruin

** **Alice POV** **

I watch Isaiah moving through the latest Neiman Marcus collection with a completely lost expression on his face. I can understand why, too. All he ever wears is cargo pants or jeans with long sleeve shirts or sweaters. My mate has no fashion sense whatsoever. And he is allowing me to pick his new wardrobe.

_ This is a dream come true!_ Of course, I know he isn't a living dress up doll. I will take his taste into account. Nothing 'preppy' or pretentious. No loud colors. And nothing itchy, which apparently includes anything to do with wool (the look on his face when I handed him a wool lined jacket earlier was hilarious, you would have thought it was going to bite him). These limitations I can work with.

Making sure no one is looking, I speed through the store we are in, gathering items I think he will like and moving on. A full minute later, there is a good sized stack of clothing including: pants, shorts, different style shirts, socks, underwear, a few jackets, and even a couple pairs of shoes.

Isaiah looks at the pile with amusement. "So, am I trying these on, then?"

"Of course. And if you don't like anything right away, just toss it over the changing room door. I'll put it back for you." He gets a funny look on his face. "What's wrong, Zaya?"

He smiles warmly at my use of my new nickname for him. "Nothing's wrong, baby. But you do realize this is a veritable mountain of clothing you have brought me, right? This could take a while."

That's not what he wanted to say, but I decide to drop it for now. I don't want to ruin our fun. Usually, when I go shopping for clothing for the others, they just let me go alone to pick it out for them. And while Isaiah isn't exactly excited by the prospect of shopping, I can tell he doesn't hate it like most of my family.

Brushing a kiss to my cheek, he heads for the changing room set aside for him, saying jokingly, "I'm off to climb Everest! If I don't return in an hour, send supplies and the search choppers, honey!"

I can't help but laugh. Looking at the pile I gathered, it does indeed look like a mountain. I don't expect him to get everything, that's why I got so many choices.

As he shuts the door behind him, I hear him begin to undress. Every sound of movement has me riveted to the spot. In my mind's eye, I imagine him as he slides the hoodie over his head, exposing his midriff in the process. Next, his hands move to buttons on his shirt, undoing them one by one to reveal his muscled chest as the cotton floats to the floor. Toeing off his shoes, he then drops his hands to his jeans to undo the snap, gruffly jerking down the fly and slipping the denim from his body.

_ Does he wear underwear, I wonder?_

"Excuse me, miss? Might I assist you with anything this evening?" Startled out of my ill-timed imaginings, I open my eyes- which I was unaware of having closed them- to see a perky sales associate.

"Uh..." Just then, Isaiah tosses a shirt over the door, still folded and obviously not even tried on. Shaking my head, I catch it and turn to the employee. "Yes, actually. Could you put this back for us? And then come back for the rest?"

Nodding, the young woman shuffles away to take care of the task.

Isaiah calls out from behind the door. "You really like fashion and clothing, don't you, Alice?"

"Well, sure!" I say, excited to be talking about my favorite topic. "What's not to like? The color pallets. The unique designs. The fit of the clothing themselves that feels almost personally tailored for you."

He chuckles. "I guess if you put it like that, I can't argue. I'm just more of a numbers guy myself. Put me in front of a spreadsheet, and I'm happy for hours. Colors and clothing cuts have never held much pull for me. Clothe is just something that is needed to wear."

"You make it sound like you would wear nothing at all if you could get away with it, Zaya." If I could blush at the image that crops up in my head at my statement, I would be redder than a beat and ready to crawl in a hole for a while.

"Hmm... It has crossed my mind a time or two. If I ever lived on my own, I would probably go days without clothing, to be honest. Less laundry. Less time dressing. More time for other things."

_ More time for other things... other things. _I really need to pull my mind out of the gutter. This is just a simple conversation. No innuendos hidden in the words.

As we talk, I start to see a pattern in the clothing he discards. Anything that is too low around the neck. No short sleeves are kept. Shorts are out, no question. Underwear is completely disregarded. The only thing he does keep are sweaters, high-neck, long sleeve tees, the shoes, and socks.

After the clothing is out of the way, we head to a book store. He tries to see what I see in the fashion magazines and books, but I can tell it just goes in one ear and out the other. That's fine, at least he tries. When we get to the mathematics section, I think I know how he felt while I was talking clothes. He started talking about accounting and business strategies and my mind went almost completely numb. When he saw the glazed look on my face, he just laughed and gathered the books he wanted.

So, all in all, I learn a lot from our date. He doesn't like to show any skin. His brain probably processes things in binary and mathematical equations. He can't tell the difference between white and cream. His shoe size is 13.

When we finally get all of our purchases back to the car, it is getting rather late. It's nearly eight in the evening.

I turn to ask Isaiah if he would like to stop and eat somewhere, not wanting our outing to end even though I wouldn't be eating with him. But I never get the chance. A vision crashes through my mind, overtaking most of my sense, though, thankfully it is not a debilitating one. I am aware when Isaiah bundles me into the passenger seat of my mustang and buckles me in. He climbs into the drivers seat and grabs my hand as we begin to head home.

In this vision, I see Isaiah, Bella, Jasper, and myself. We're facing someone. I see blue eyes, brown hair. I can just see the laugh lines around her mouth and eyes set into a round, pale face. She looks so much like Bella and Zaya, only older with shorter hair. Everything about her seems... innocent, but off somehow. She seems to be threatening the twins. Bella is all but shaking by Jasper. Isaiah is shaking with rage. And Jasper... Quite frankly, The Major looks terrifyingly intimidating

Blinking as the vision ends, I tighten my grip on Isaiah's hand as much as I dare and speak softly. "Zaya, I need you to listen to me, okay? You can't freak out on me, or the vision may change, alright?"

He gets a questioning look on his face, but nods stiffly as he continues to drive.

"You need to put on a little speed if you can, alright?"

The vehicle picks up speed. "Will you at least tell me what you saw, Alice?" I can feel the tension running through every line of his body.

I look up at him to gauge his reaction. "You're mother will be showing up at the house soon. I didn't see any clocks, but I know it will be some time tonight."

His breathing picks up and I can hear his teeth grinding. He shakes his right hand free so he has both on the wheel and they go white knuckled as he picks up more speed, flying as fast as he dares through the thinning traffic. As I watch, his pupils dilate and I can smell the fear coming off of him. "Will we get there before that fucking bitch moves in on my sister?"

I had never seen him like this before, not even during one of his flashbacks. He almost reminds me of the Major with his intensity. "If we keep moving quickly and safely, then yes. And Jasper is there with her, so don't worry." I try my best to calm him down, but it seems only to rile him more.

"Don't tell me not to fucking worry, Alice." He grinds out. "You have no idea what could happen if that bitch confronts Isabella without me there."

"Isaiah, what will happen if you're not there? Baby, I need you to talk to me. I can't help if you don't tell me what's going on."

Mulishly, he refuses to answer me, merely pressing the pedal to get more speed as we leave the city limits. I try as many different ways as I can think of to wheedle the information out of him, but he still refuses to answer me. I wish my visions of the twins weren't so patchy, irregular, and unreliable. Every time I see them in a vision they are blurry and unfocused. Rarely do I get one that they're clear.

The rest of the ride passes in tense silence. Darkness has already fallen by the time we whip into the driveway of the Swan residence. Only the old Chevy is present, so the Chief must still be at work. Taking a deep breath, I can tell that only Bella and Jasper are inside and have been all day. Leaving our purchases in the trunk for now, we rush to the front door. I feel curiosity being projected from Jasper, but he makes no move to find out what is going on.

Stepping inside, Isaiah quickly and frantically searches the house for his mother. Finding nothing, we head into the living room where we hear the television playing a movie.

"Hey, you two!" Bella calls from Jasper's lap as they sit cuddled on one end of the couch together. "How was the shopping? Get anything good?"

Smiling at finding his sister safe and happy, I can see Isaiah visibly relax. He puts his arm over my shoulder like he hasn't a care in the world, saying, "It was good. We had fun. What have you two been up to all day?"

Jasper finally turns to look at us, still projecting curiosity which morphs into worry when he sees my expression. I shake my head slightly, silently willing him to let the subject drop for now.

Jasper nods towards the TV. "We've been having a vampire movie marathon and laughing at all the things Hollywood got wrong. We're on _Daybreakers_ right now. Just started if you two want to join us."

Isaiah guides me to the opposite end of the couch from them and pulls me to sit on his lap. Settling in, we turn our attention to the movie on the screen. At least, I pretend to while the others watch. Really, I'm reveling in the closeness between me and my mate.

After a few minutes, Jasper catches my eye, raising a silent brow in question.

Being sure to speak too low for human ears, I answer him. "I had a vision on the way home. Their mother is going to show up some time tonight and cause trouble. I don't know more than that. It was all very vague."

His expression darkens dangerously. His golden eyes go black like onyx and he tightens his grip on Bella. When she tries to look up in concern, he buries his face in her hair and inhales her scent, plainly willing himself to calm as to not agitate his mate.

Bella looks to me for an answer, but I make sure my eyes are firmly on the screen. It may be cowardly of me, but I don't want to be the one to upset The Major's mate. Doing such a thing could possibly mean losing a limb... or worse.

We just make it to the where the main character, Edward Dalton, is goading the big baddie when the front door- which no one thought to lock, apparently- bangs open loudly. Everyone jumps to their feet, ready for a threat.

There, standing in the doorway to the living room, is the thing that hurt my mate since he was born. Every instinct in me began to rear its' head, my own inner beast rattling to be free. It would be so simple to get rid of the danger. To end the bitch that scarred my love for all time. I can taste her blood already, sweet on my tongue. A quiet growl rips up my throat and I begin to crouch.

Isaiah wraps his arm around my waist from behind and I feel him tremble slightly. This seems to bring me out of my haze enough to realize that killing the bitch, while it would be satisfying, was not the right thing to do at the moment.

_Later, though. She'll get what's coming to her, no question._

** **Bella POV** **

I stare at the woman framed in the doorway uncomprehendingly. There's no way she's here. Not here where we have been so happy. Not here in our father's house. This is my worst nightmare come true. She'll take us back with her. She'll make us go back into that hell. I would have to leave my Jasper, the man I love, behind. I would never know what our life together would be like. Isaiah and I would be forced back into the insular life of pain and neglect.

I suppose it was foolish to believe she would leave well enough alone. Of course she would come after us. After all, we are her unpaid, perfectly trained servants that kept her living the high life with little to no effort on her part. A few threats here, a rough slap or beating there, and we did whatever we were told.

_I can't go back to that life. I wouldn't. I would die first. I would kill first!_

_Wait... kill? I have got to get a better handle on my anger! Maybe... maybe she isn't here to take us back. Maybe it's something else._What that 'something else' might be, I have no idea, but a small kernel of hope begins to form deep down.

"Renee..." I croak out, my throat all but closed in my fear. "What are you doing here?" Probably a stupid question, but it's all my fear clogged brain can come up with.

Jasper rumbles quietly next to me, his eyes still black, indicating his anger and defensiveness. Even though I know what kind of woman Renee is, and the horrible things she has done, some small part of me- a very, very small part- still did not want to see the only woman I had ever known as my mother killed in front of me. I sidle up to his side and clutch his arm close, needing the comfort he gives me, while also potentially keeping him from attacking.

My mother just stares at me for a moment. Anger beyond anything I have ever seen takes over her usually placid features. "What am I doing here? Me? What the fuck are the two of you doing here?" She all but screams, spittle flying from her mouth. "I return from Jacksonville with Phil to find the house a fucking mess, my room included, your bank accounts drained, my bank account missing half of my money, and you have the balls to ask me what I'm doing here, little girl?"

_Oh yeah. That's right._"Listen, Renee. Maybe we could discuss this calmly. Isaiah and I only took what was ours. So if you could just leave-"

"Everything of yours?" She spits out angrily. "You worthless piece of trash! Don't act like you ever had anything. I gave you everything. Starting with your pathetic life! And what do I get in return? You trashed my fucking house. You stole my money. And on top of that, now I have to do all the menial labor around the house! Phil even expects me to cook! This is your fault! And now you two think you can just walk away, leaving me to clean up _your_ mess, and shack up with like common whores!" By the end of her tirade, she was screeching in such a manner that it could rival nails on a chalk board.

Is this woman delusional? Gave us everything? She never gave us a damn thing! We had to scrounge for our own food. We fought to pay the bills and keep life in the house as peaceful as possible. We furnished this bitch with the posh and comfy life she claims to have _given us!_ She's fucking crazy.

I feel _that_ rattling its chains deep within, fighting for dominance I haven't allowed since I was fifteen. My anger spikes hotly as I stare at the woman who birthed me and my brother. My vision begins to haze around the edges with a tinge of red. With the last bit of self control I have, I tuck myself behind my Jasper, holding onto him as tightly as I can and praying that I can keep control.

"Well?" Renee looks between me and Isaiah expectantly. "Don't just stand there like retards! Go pack your fucking bags. We have a plane to catch in less than an hour. You will make up for the losses and pain you've caused me. I have a very fitting punishment planned for the two of you." She taps her foot impatiently.

"We don't owe you anything." My voice comes out in a shaky whisper. I'm afraid if I speak much louder, I will break the tenuous hold I have over my anger. That could be bad. Who knows who would be hurt if that happens.

"Shut your damn mouth, you little thief, or I'm taking you and your little doppelganger sidekick to court for all the things you've taken from me. My piece of mind. My money. All of it. The thousands of dollars you stole will be returned by the end of the month or I will drag you, your brother, and your bastard of a father into court so fast you won't know what hit you. You will be destitute within a hot minute, do you hear me? Now get moving, or I will make you, so help me!"

Jasper and Alice rumble at this, both vying to attack Renee, but both being 'held back' by their respective mates. _That_rattles again in my mind, harder and louder this time, its teeth snapping at the threat presenting itself as the red haze completely covers my vision.

_ Nothing harms mine!_It yells. _Protect them. Protect MINE!_

I whimper pitifully and burrow, shaking, into Jasper's back. I inhale his scent as best I can, but it doesn't help. Nothing is helping.

_Get rid of the threat. Keep them safe. Let me out. LET ME OUT!_ It growls and snarls, straining against its' bonds.

_No, you can't. You'll chase him away! We'll lose him!_I scream back at it, terrified. _If he knows, if he sees what you... I can do... he'll leave. He'll be scared and leave me all alone! I don't want to be alone. We can't go back to the way we were before._

It whimpers and settles only slightly, rage still emanating from it in waves. _Never. Mine. Stays with me. Protect what's MINE!_

My brother distracts me a little from my inner battle.

Isaiah steps away from Alice slowly, taking a threatening step towards our mother. "You go ahead and do that, Renee. Take this issue to court,_Mother__._ I'd bet the judge would love that. It would really help to bolster that doting mommy persona you wear so well. You know, I just might bring up a few things while we are in there." Sadistically, I take quite a bit of satisfaction in the half step back she takes when she sees the gleam in his eyes. "Why don't I tell the judge how you would leave us with a 95 year old woman with dementia when we were little more than infants? Maybe I'll tell him how, most days, we went hungry because you were 'out with your special friend'. Oh, I know, what about that time our kindergarten teacher took us to the hospital when we were six and the doctor called social services because we were on the point of collapse due to malnourishment and abuse?"

The tension is so thick in the room at this point, I could have cut it with a knife.

When all the color leeches out of Renee's face, I grin evilly as my brother continues, his tone dripping acid. "Yeah. You go ahead and take us to court, _mommy dearest__._ I'll be sure to tell the judge just how, when the child support payments didn't cover all of _your needs_, you would send us out to get odd jobs around the not so nice neighborhoods we lived in. And when we came back with less than the amount you set, we were denied 'privileges'. Like the bathroom or food." He was shaking he was so pissed at this point. This bitch had the nerve to walk into our home like she owned the place and try to intimidate us into going back with her.

_ LET ME OUT!_

Isaiah sneers. "How about when Isabella and I were seven and we got our first real job. We invested our money, what little you didn't pilfer, and earned off of that. I could show him undeniable proof that not only did we pay _all_ of the bills and buy _everything_ for the household, but that we also put a stipend into _your _bank account so we didn't have to suffer through the so called punishments we would receive otherwise."

He takes a few deep breaths to steady himself. Taking a few steps, he centers himself amongst us and whips his shirt of and all but dares the bitch in front of him to do or say something. Jasper growls quietly when I utter a choked sob at the sight of my brother's ravaged back, so like my own. Alice whimpers, coming up behind him and placing her small, trembling hand on his mid-back, stroking over the raised scars there. Amazingly, Isaiah leans into her touch, though he does not relax in the slightest.

"And if none that gets you put away for life, you bitch, how about I show the good ol' judge these bad boys. You remember how I got them, right?" When she says nothing, merely gapes like a fish at my brother's new found audacity, he points to small-ish burn scars on his biceps. "No? Well, this one is when I was three and your 'special friend' couldn't find an ashtray. Guess he found one after all." He points to some jagged, ill-healed scars on his stomach. "What about these, Renee? You remember how Izzy and I made you so mad, you grabbed us by the hair and threw us down the stairs. That vase shattered and finished the task, didn't it?" He draws attention to another set of scars on his side. "And these? I didn't shine your heals perfectly, so you decided to get your hands, or feet as it were, dirty for once by punishing me yourself." The next one was just peeking out of his belt line. "What about this, _mommy_? The time Rafael the Kiddie Toucher snuck into Isabella's room in the middle of the night with a knife? You remember that, surely. No? What about these?" He turns so she can see his back. It is a mass of long, thin scars that reaches from neck to belt line, disappearing under the jeans he's wearing.

The more my brother talks, the tenser my Jasper gets. I know the only reason he hasn't lunged is because I'm still clinging to him like a life line. I am only holding onto my control by a thread, a very thin thread, at that. Alice, though angry as well, is too busy trying to comfort Isaiah in his distress by nuzzling into his chest and stroking his sides soothingly.

He peers over his shoulder at the bitch standing stock still before us. "What did I do for these, you might ask? Nothing too bad. I mean, Isabella and I had only come in from a hard day of work after school. We were so fucking tired after 36 hours straight of being on our feet or in classes, we couldn't bring ourselves to cook a proper meal for our mother or clean up after the party she had thrown the night before. We set out some left overs for her and took our exhausted fifteen year old selves up to our rooms. But was that satisfactory? Nah. Instead we were unceremoniously dragged from our beds in the middle of the night by our hair, held down by a few of her lovers, and beaten to within an inch of our lives. Literally, mind you. The hospital kept us for over a week. Would've been longer, but our dear, sweet mom just couldn't bear to be apart from us for much longer. So with internal bleeding and concussions we were taken back home to clean up the mess we had made when we were rude enough to bleed on the carpets."

When he stops talking, the only sounds are the three humans' heavy, emotional breathing. Turning back to face the horrible creature, he challenges her. "Go ahead, Renee. Take us to court. See what happens when you fuck with us now. I can guarantee you, we aren't kids any longer, willing to lay down and take your shit. If you don't want to rot for the rest of your goddamn life in a filthy prison, I suggest you take your ass back to Arizona and the man that is likely to leave you in a few months."

The look on our mother's face right now is priceless. _That_ grins and chortles in sadistic glee at finally getting to see the bitch taken down a peg, even if_it_ can't exact its' own revenge.

She glares at Isaiah. Before she can say anything, however, Isaiah gets into her face. "You had better take me seriously, bitch, because right now, your life is on the line. There are four people in this room alone that's just itching to kill you. And trust me when I say, we would sleep better at night without you in this world. I am willing to let you go once, and only once. Take it as payment for the fact that you are our mother, as much as I hate to admit that fact." Renee gapes at her son, opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

She looks around the rest of the room. Finally seeing the predicament she is in for the first time. Alice barely holding herself back. Jasper straining under my grip. Me still glaring around his back. And Isaiah still so close to her, shaking with barely contained rage.

"I won't say it again, Renee. Get. Out." Isaiah grits out.

Stumbling back, she gets the message and scrambles for the door. All too soon, she is out the door and out of sight. My brother and I breath a sigh of relief when our vampires loose a little bit of their tension. I shuffle out from behind my Jasper, still struggling a little with my anger, and lay my head on his chest. Almost immediately, he begins to purr, calming me. I look up into his face and see his eyes are still black and his face is hard. It will take some time for him to calm down, for both of us to calm. Noticing the top few buttons are undone on his shirt, I tuck my face against his skin and breath in his scent.

** **Charlie POV** **

I just want to get home. It's already past midnight, Bella and Isaiah will probably already be in bed. It's been a long hard day at the station, let alone the entire month. We've had a rash of speeding and accidents in town this past month. Too many reckless kids going for joy rides after getting their license. If it were up to me, they wouldn't be allowed to drive without an adult with them until they graduate, but that's probably asking too much. At least no one has gotten seriously hurt so far.

I turn onto my dead-end road, eager to get home to see my children. The streetlight across from my house at the far end reveals a maroon Mustang parked out front in the drive. Alice and Jasper must be over again, then. It was an off day when they weren't around. If they weren't spending time at my house, the twins were over there at the Cullen's place. At first, I didn't really like them dating. They just got out of an abusive situation. I wanted them to have time to live a life they never got to have instead of tying themselves to another so soon. But I soon came to realize that while, yes they are just sixteen and still technically children, they are old enough to make decisions on their own.

I still don't like the thought of my baby girl 'dating' anyone, though. No one will ever be good enough for her. But so long as she wants him around, I will do my best to accept that. Besides, Jasper is a good kid, if a little tense and old fashioned. He doesn't treat Bella disrespectfully and they seem to have a lot in common. The talks they have about books alone leave my head in a bind. I try not to make sense of much of what they talk about.

Isaiah's little girlfriend, Alice, is another thing altogether. She's bubbly and exuberant. Always bouncing and skipping hither and yon. The exact opposite of my stalwart, quiet son. But they just seem to fit despite their differences. She makes him smile and helps him with his PTSD somehow. If you ask me, she's just what the doctor ordered. If they would have let me take them to a doctor, that is.

When I brought up the topic of going to a shrink to help them find ways to cope with their past, they steadfastly turned me down. They wouldn't hear of it, not in the slightest. They seemed to understand that a physician is needed from time to time, but they were adamant that they did not want anyone rooting around in their heads, picking apart every little facet of their lives. This notion seemed to upset Bella far more than it did Isaiah. She wouldn't speak to me for three days. Worst seventy-two hours of my life thus far.

Climbing tiredly out of my cruiser, I make my way to the front door. Turning in the lock, I shuffle into the front hall and begin to undo my gun belt. It's then I get a bad feeling in my gut. Something bad has happened tonight. I know it has already passed. I feel it in my gut.

Rushing through the door to the living room, I'm relieved to find all four of them present and accounted for. They don't seem angry, just upset. Jasper and Bella stand by the coffee table, my little girl trembling, whether in fear or anger, I don't know. Jasper his holding her as if she will disappear right before his eyes, his face buried in her hair with his eyes closed.

Alice and Isaiah are closer to the doorway. My son has his shirt off, which is very rare as he hates the sight of his scars. Alice doesn't seem fazed by the sight at all, if only a little sad looking at the pain they must have caused him. She is continually running her hands over his chest and back, trying to soothe him from the obvious rage he seems to be coming down from.

Cautiously I speak. "What happened here? Is everyone alright?"

Alice turns to answer. "Chief Swan, your ex-wife just left not ten minutes ago. She apparently came her to take Zaya and Bella with her. When they refused..." Isaiah's anger seems to rise at the mention of what just happened. Alice goes back to calming him down.

"When they refused, the bitch threatened to take them, along with you, to court. She made many accusations against the twins." Jasper's tone is low and steady, but I get the feeling that there is a boiling vat of anger and protectiveness roiling under the smooth surface. "Isaiah put her in her place well enough, but I have a feelin' that's not the last time we'll hear from the vicious harpy."

Renee was here? What the hell? I guess it's not too far fetched an idea that she would show up to get them back. But to come here? I could have arrested her for child abuse and neglect. She would never have risked getting caught in a dangerous situation. She was too clever for that.

Seems my son has the same thoughts as me. "How the hell did she know Dad wouldn't be here? I don't get it. Renee isn't stupid, just vile and malicious. She would never put her own well being at risk and getting arrested by Dad would do just that. How did she know we would be here alone?"

Everyone is silent and still for a while, thinking on the problem. It's not exactly a secret that I work a lot. If I'm not out fishing with my buddies or at home, I can usually be found at the station or on patrol. In a small town like Forks, Washington, routine is common place and to be expected. But nobody knew I would be working emergency shifts this week. I'm the Chief of Police. I take care of delegation and major paperwork. It's rare indeed for me to work the emergency rotations and I only did so this time because one of my deputies called out with a nasty stomach bug.

I scratch my chin thoughtfully. "The only people that knew I would be out of the house tonight especially was the four of you and two people up at the station: the dispatcher, Deb, and an sick deputy that I had to cover for tonight. But there's no way they would simply hand over information to that bitch. Definitely not Deb. She hated Renee. Deputy Raynes doesn't know Renee, but he's not one to go around telling tales."

"So you think someone has been watching you all?" Alice asks. "For what purpose?"

I just don't know what anyone would get out of causing me or mine any pain or suffering. We've never done anything to anyone. I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled for anyone acting odd I suppose.


	13. The Last Straw

** **Phil Dwyer POV** **

Renee has changed in the past month. We had a wonderful honeymoon preceded by a whirlwind romance. Although her personality is wont to change at any given time, no one is perfect. She is everything I could ever wish for in a woman. She is beautiful, smart, funny, sophisticated, worldly. She absolutely dotes on her children. She is a socialite, though she doesn't mind being a stay at home mom. And she isn't overly attached to her ex-husband, Charlie Swan.

Like I said, she's the perfect woman. At least, she is for me. But ever since we returned home after our honeymoon in Japan, she's been... different. At first, I thought it was because she was missing the twins. When we arrived at the house after they didn't show to pick us up from the airport, we discovered they had left us to our newly-wedded bliss to go live with their father. Renee said they left a note, but I never saw one and she never told me exactly what it said. The house was a mess, too. So many things were broken, torn up, and just plain missing. My things, however, were miraculously left untouched. It looked like someone had taken a sledgehammer to everything after a raging party.

Renee even went on a rant on how many of her personal documents and ledgers were missing. To tell the truth, she kind of scared me there for an hour. Thankfully, she calmed down enough that I could speak to her rationally.

I told her that the twins were merely giving us our space. That they saw how much in love we are and wanted to do their best to make us happy. Sure, they could have talked to their mother first and cleaned up after themselves, but they are only teenagers. They make mistakes. She didn't look like she wanted to believe me there for a few minutes, but then she smiled and agreed.

About four days later, I came home after a team meeting to find her in a temper. Apparently, Isaiah and Isabella took some money to pay for their trip, leaving Renee with little to nothing in her account. I felt this was badly done of them, but still they are only teenagers. They must not have realized that that money was needed elsewhere. Besides, I told her, I have money and plenty of it, so we don't need to worry about the bills or groceries. It may be tight for a little while, but we'd make it through.

But then the real strangeness kicked in. I asked her to clean the kitchen while I went to work. I had important guests that could sign me to a better deal for a bigger baseball team coming over that night and wanted to make a good impression. But when I got home, she was napping and the kitchen was still a mess. I spent the three hours until the guests showed up cleaning the place spotless and getting ready. When they got to the house, Renee was still asleep and didn't bother stirring when I went to wake her.

When I asked her what was wrong the next day, she said she had lain down because of a 'headache'. I'm not stupid. My mother did the same thing all my life. A headache to them was just like saying 'I don't feel like it, so I won't.' I couldn't very well call her out on this, so I let it go hoping that it was just a one off.

As the weeks progressed and the honeymoon haze began to dissipate, I saw more and more I didn't like.

She won't cook. She won't clean. She doesn't make money in any way. If I'm feeling amorous, she refuses, even if I saw her pleasuring herself a half hour before. She constantly flirts with my teammates. And their WIVES! If she says something insulting, she just laughs it off if someone calls her out on it. Several times, I have found shopping expenditures that exceed a thousand dollars on my bank statements. Not to mention the late night clubbing she does any given night.

I don't know how much more I can take. It's only been four months since we got married. And we've only been home one month of that time. Much more of this, and I don't know what I'll do. Thank god she took that trip to go see her kids, saying she wanted to see how they were settling with their father and new school. If she had stayed in my presence one more minute I think I might have snapped and done the world a favor.

_Shit! Did I just think that? That's not like me! I'm gentle, not aggressive. I don't hurt people!_

But Renee sure can drive a normally sane person into certifiability.

I hear the front door open and close. The sound of high heels soon can be heard traipsing down the hall towards what is now my study. It used to be Isaiah's room, but I didn't feel guilty taking it over. It seems those kids would not be coming back, even for a visit like their mother hoped. Can't say as that I blame them. Don't get me wrong, I still love the woman, but she is getting on my last ever-loving, goddamn nerve. Something's got to give soon, or else.

I feel soft, warm arms wrap my shoulders from behind as I stare resolutely at the bank statements in front of me. I am, again, at a negative balance. A very large negative balance. An aggrieved sigh leaves my lips, though I don't mean it to.

"What's the matter, baby? What's go you so down?" Instead of waiting for an answer, her long, red nailed fingers begin skating down my chest, undoing buttons as she goes.

Catching her hands before she can get more than half way, I remove myself from her vicinity. I go stand by the window, composing what I want to say. We have to talk if this marriage is going to work. I want this marriage to work. I really do, but as it stands right now, divorce is sounding better and better. The thought of a divorce, between anyone, is like ash in my mouth. The bonds of matrimony are supposed to be sacred and unbreakable, but this woman, my Renee, surely tests their limits.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I do my best to approach the subject gently. "Renee, honey. We need to talk."

"What about, baby? If it's the kids, they aren't coming back, so no worries there. For now." How can she sound so flippant about her own children?

Another sigh comes forth. I have a feeling this conversation will be filled with them. Maybe I should start counting? "Renee, lately you've been... distant, to say the least. And also quite lazy."

I see her reflection in the glass before me as the sun fades from the sky. Her brows pucker and for one second, I think I see a flash of something unpleasant in her eyes.

I shake it off and turn towards her. Her face is placid enough, if a mite confused. "You don't cook anything, even microwave things. You don't clean up the house, not even your own messes."

I see a flash of anger before she quickly and neatly covers it. "I am not a maid, Phil. I have much more important things to do than to take care of the house." She huffs.

"Like what?" There's sigh number three. "Hon, you don't work. You aren't taking classes like you were when we were dating. You aren't taking care of the kids now. Please tell me what is taking up so much of your time." She stays silent, so I vent a little more. "Because it surely isn't me. We haven't made love since before we got back from Japan."

Her eyes become heavy lidded and her voice is sultry and low when she speaks. "Is that what this is about, handsome? Do you want some lovin'?" She undoes the first few buttons on her blouse and lets down her hair, going for a sexy look, I assume. But sadly, it all looks rehearsed, practiced, and clinical.

I sigh- number four- and deftly button my own shirt closed. "Renee, you haven't heard a single word I've said. This isn't just about our love life, or lack thereof. The money you alone are spending is outrageous. Do you know that we are now thousands of dollars in debt because you refuse to stop spending?"

"That's what you care about? Money?" She blusters, an angry flush creeping up her face. "Not your own wife? Not once have you asked what I'm feeling? Not once have you shown concern for me!" She stamps her foot like a child, one that I am actually beginning to see her as, sadly. "I'm starting to think you don't love me like you say you do!" With that last parting shot, she storms out of the room, clearing fake sobs coming from her as she stomps away.

I drop into my desk chair and hang my head in my hands. What the hell just happened? Weren't we just having a civilized discussion? Not once did I raise my voice. I didn't belittle her. I was trying to get to the heart of the issue.

_The heart of the issue?_ That's right. She said I hadn't asked her how she feels. Could something be troubling her. I'll be the first to admit, I'm not the best at reading social cues. It's a wonder Renee agreed to marry me with how awkward I am.

Resolved to talk about her problems, instead of just my own, I traverse the long hall and stop before our bedroom door. I knock and step inside, wary of anything being thrown at my head. My sister often did things like that when she thought I was being dense. When no projectiles are forthcoming, I take a better look around the room. I don't see my wife in here. But just as I go to leave and search the rest of the large house for her, I hear disturbing sounds coming from the bathroom.

As I pad across the room, I register what it is. Retching. Renee is throwing up violently in the master bathroom. Pushing the door further ajar, I stand, stunned, and take in the sight before me.

Renee is bent feebly over the toilet bowl, gripping the sides as each wave of sickness passes over her. Now that I look more closely, she looks absolutely exhausted. And thin. Way too thin.

_How could I have missed the signs of_my wife_being ill?_ Rushing to her side, I do my best to hold her short, light brown hair out of the line of fire. Each time she stops her retching, I apologize profusely, telling her how sorry I am. Telling her how thick I can be. Telling her that I love her more than anything and wouldn't change her for the world.

When it finally seems like she is finished and is falling asleep, I pick her up gently and carry her to bed. Laying her down, I strip her as efficiently as I can and slip one of my t-shirts over her head. Laying down next to her, I run my fingers down her side as she lays facing me.

"Sweetie, can you tell me what's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help? Anything at all, you name it." I feel almost desperate to make her better in any way that I can.

Her voice is so small when she answers that I can't hear her. I ask her to repeat herself and she says a little more clearly, "I'm pregnant." And she's asleep.

My entire world stops spinning. I stop absently stroking her side and simply stare at her, trying to wrap my mind around the notion. Me, a father? Having a little one to run about the house, to raise and guide into adulthood. To play catch with and teach baseball. To suffer through tea parties and doll house sessions. To get too into a sports match on Sundays and end up getting scolded for our loudness. To be everything to a little boy or girl, to have them look up at me with stars in their eyes and unconditional love in its' heart.

I place my trembling hand over my wife's stomach. I feel it. Right there, under my hand, is a distinct roundness to her tummy that wasn't there before now. Just a barely there, tell-tale bump. It's firm and warm. I marvel at the tiny miracle. My child, growing beneath my palm.

_Will I be a good dad? I hope so._


	14. Suspicions and Fears

** **Isaiah POV** **

_Next Day_

Thank God the day is half done already! If I have to accept one more congratulations on my beating up Paul Lahote, then I might have to call going to school quits. It's insane how far the story has spread in less than 48 hours. I mean, come on, I only went to the party on Wednesday night. Today is Friday and it's barely noon. And let's not forget how the story has changed. It started out true enough.

The first retelling at the party had only small embellishments. Things like Paul was less drunk than he seemed. Or he was more muscular than he really is. Things like that were innocent enough, I guess. But by now, sitting at lunch listening to Tyler Crowley regale the table with the latest version of the fight's events, I wonder how things could possibly have gotten so blown out of proportion. If you listened to him, one would believe it was a WWE event with a three second knock out.

"...So there they were, circling each other like dogs, right? Insults flying back and forth when out of no where, five of Paul's lackeys try to get the drop on Isaiah here." He claps his hand onto my shoulder dramatically, either ignoring or not noticing the way I tense and move away from him. "But that crap don't even phase him, man. He knocks each of them out like it was nothing. Quick as you please, they're all on the ground calling for their mommies and Isaiah here is on top of Paul. He starts laying into him like there's no tomorrow, and we can all tell that the guy's not gonna be getting up any time soon." Wow, he is able to actually tell the truth. I'm surprised. "Then Sam comes busting out of the crowd, bawling like a baby not to hurt his friend. It was hilarious man, you should have been there."

After the proper murmurs of appreciation and congratulations, Tyler drifted away towards his friends across the cafeteria. Meanwhile, I'm left to deal with the curious stares from the Cullens around me. After a minute, I start to get uncomfortable from their intense gazes and shift in my seat, flinging my arm around Alice and go back to my book.

"Hey, Izzy." I look up at my sister. "When did those other five people show up? I didn't notice them Wednesday. And I thought Eric said a bear broke up the fight, not Sam."

The table cracks up at this and I can't help but smile. "I don't know. I must have blacked out at some point and gone all ninja on their asses, because apparently I'm a badass and didn't know it."

Emmett thumps the table- lightly for him- as he laughs and says, "Dude, that other stuff may not be true, but everyone says you kicked Paul's ass. You gotta tell me how you did that? Was it fun? What's your secret?"

"Secret? What do you mean?" Has he guessed what we are hiding from them? " And no, it wasn't fun, Em. You know how I feel about violence, necessary or not."

Jasper nods in agreement, though I can tell he wishes he could have gotten a few licks in. I told him what the ass had said about his girl and he was livid for a while. "Still, Isaiah, how did you manage to beat him? It shouldn't be possible for a human to do so."

Everyone leans in, obviously curious and eager for the answer.

"What do you mean? Not possible for a human? You do realize that humans get into fistfights with each other often right? Me and Paul are no different."

"Zaya, you don't know?" Alice asks.

"Know what?"

She lowers her voice so other humans don't overhear. "Isaiah, Paul Lahote is a shapeshifter. Sam Uley is his Alpha and Paul is his second in command. You shouldn't be able to have hit him without breaking bones."

Shapeshifter? I had heard that they exist but I never imagined meeting one, let alone fighting one. And what was this about breaking bones? If that's true, how is it I am able fight one without repercussions? Then a thought occurs. Could Isabella be doing _that_? Is she finally able to control it or is it purely instinctual?

I look over to my sister, who is looking just as uncomfortable as me. She has just as much to lose as me if our secret comes out. She doesn't seem to realize, though, what it is she is responsible for. But surely she would know if she did it. There is no way she could be so unaware, right?

"Isaiah? Are you alright? You look scared. Is something wrong?" Rosalie looks at me with genuine concern, but I don't know what to say. I can't tell them. Izzy and I promised never to talk about it. She doesn't talk about mine and I don't talk about hers.

I look back to my sister again, not sure what to do. How should I handle this situation? There's no way to answer their questions truthfully without going back on my word. Besides, knowing what we, especially Isabella, can do would scare them all off. Or worse, make them cage us like so many others have tried. But how to put them off?

My sister comes to my rescue. "Um, guys, I don't think this is the time to discuss this. We are at school and talking about stuff like this is sure to get us some strange looks." Everyone agrees just as the bell rings for classes to resume.

Good, we've bought a little more time in paradise. Much as I hate to admit it, I believe the same as my sister. As soon as Alice and Jasper know about _that__,_ they'll turn away from us and take their family with them. We don't want that. I know that my happiness, my future, is Alice. I can't lose her, but I know it's inevitable.

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

_That afternoon after school..._

Alice, Bella, Jasper, and myself are sitting at the dining table at the Cullen house like usual. Our homework is almost complete, we only have one more issue to work out. The Chemistry project. We just can't seem to agree on anything. Alice wants to test the effects of different dyes on different types of cloth. Jasper wants to show what conditions are best for gunpowder storage and use, saying it would be educational for today's teenagers. Bella wants to work on an ink mixture that will fade at a reduced rate, if at all. While I, well, I don't really have a preference, science has never been my thing. It is because of this that they have nominated me as the tie breaker.

Now I have a bit of a problem. If I choose Alice's idea, then Bella will call favoritism. If I choose Bella's then I get put in the dog house by my girlfriend. You would think that the only logical choice here would be to choose Jasper's project, right? Wrong. I don't really think that gunpowder and explosions anywhere near the teenagers we live amongst would be a very good idea and I don't believe Professor Henson would approve the experiment.

So I sit at the table, looking from one to the other, hoping a miracle will happen and the answer will just fall into my lap. I could choose Bella's idea and just kiss up to Ali for the next fifty or so years- because that girl can hold a grudge. Apparently, one of their nomad friends, Garrett, played a prank on her a few decades ago, something about turning her hair blue for a few days, and she still hasn't forgiven the poor guy. Makes his life hard any time he comes around.

Or I could chose Alice's project and explain to Bella that the benefits far outweigh the costs between sister and girlfriend and I know she would understand. But still, it would hurt her feelings and I am loathe to do so for any reason.

"Why is it we aren't using our old class notes on this again? It would be a lot easier and faster." I ask for what seems to be the thousandth time.

The girls just roll their eyes. Alice replies. "Because, Zaya, this isn't just about getting the work done. It's about learning something. None of us will learn if we don't do the project properly." She says this like it's something that should be commonly known. And it is, I suppose, but I still don't want to do this project. It seems so pointless.

I let my eyes drift away from the group, looking for inspiration that will get me out of this bind. Out the back window, I see Esme's garden. It's full of roses, tulips, daffodils and many other plants I have no idea about. Off to one side of the back deck, I see three large rose bushes that look worse for wear. They aren't dead yet, but they aren't far off. An inkling of an idea pops into my head. Simple, but it should pass for our project.

Turning back to everyone, I say, "What about testing the best fertilizers? Commercial versus natural versus everyday kitchen stuff. It's uncomplicated and should take us the few months left before the project is due."

We all look at each other and before long, we've come to an agreement. But first, we have to ask Esme if we can filch her plants for the project.

Alice bounces out of her seat to go ask Esme. Jasper and Bella wander to the den while I head upstairs to Carlisle's study. I had asked him earlier in the week if I could borrow a book but had yet to pick it up. Knocking on the door just in case he was in, I waited for a response.

"Come in, Isaiah." He sounded put upon. Not normal for the usually unruffled doctor.

Stepping through the door, I shut it behind me. Carlisle is seated behind his large, dark oak desk with papers and ledgers strewn everywhere. Strange, considering he is usually so neat and tidy.

"Ah, Isaiah. Did you come for the book you requested?" I nod. "Good, good. It's on that shelf over there. Farthest on the left." He gestures aimlessly to a shelf behind him that is filled with tome after tome of priceless antiques. The type my sister would probably be salivating over. Not me though, I move to the only book on the shelf that isn't a first edition or limited volume. Picking up _Principles of Financial Accounting, _I go to leave the room quietly as I can in order not to interrupt any more than I have.

My eyes catch on some of the papers he has on his desk, however. Some are bank statements while others are accounting sheets with scribbles and blots all over them. The numbers are skewed and written haphazardly and the amounts look completely incorrect.

_I could fix it. Maybe I can even break my old record._

Carlisle sees the way I'm eyeing the papers and chuckles. "I think your sister mentioned once how much you like to play with numbers." I nod. He looks down at the mess before him. "Sadly, this is one of Esme's accounts. She is not the best book keeper, I'm afraid. Everything gets jumbled up and often not completed at all. Which is why it is usually left up to me to straighten out her messes. I tell you, the lady cannot handle balancing a checkbook."

"I can help you, if you like." I offer. I know he can do it on his own, being a vampire and all.

"No. No, that's fine. I am nearly done anyways." I nod and go to leave. Just as I reach for the door, he speaks. "Isaiah, I was wondering. Do you mind sitting for a moment? I would like to talk to you if you have the time."

I sit in one of the plush leather armchairs in front of his desk. Idly, I wonder what he wants to talk about. Getting a talk with Carlisle always seemed to me like getting a talk from the headmaster. The thought is very nerve wracking.

He leans forward in his seat, resting his forearms on the desk in the only clear spot. One would almost mistake him for an actual human sometimes with the way he remembers to fidget and re-balance his weight. "Isaiah, I heard from Charlie that your mother showed up yesterday." He waits for me to add something, but I remain silent. "May I ask how you are coping with the situation, son?"

I quirk one brow. "Coping with it? What do you mean?"

"Well, it is no secret that you suffer from PTSD. In fact, I suspect that both you and your sister do, but that discussion is for another time. What I would like to know, if you are willing to tell me, is how has this affected your... recovery."

How has my mother's sudden appearance affected my 'situations'? They haven't gotten any worse. In fact, they've been steadily getting better. Ever since I met Alice, the memories have stayed in their dark and veiled corner for the most part.

"To tell you the truth, Doc, I'm probably not dealing with it the way any head doctor would want me to. But I'm dealing with it. Alice anchors me. And my sister always helps. For now, that's all I need."

"I understand." He smiles his 'doctor smile' at me and I know we are about to get into the real heavy topic. "And how do you and your sister plan on dealing with your mother? Your father said she made some pretty hefty threats."

Yeah, they may see them as threats and I used to, but now I only see them as empty air spewing from a filthy mouthed whore. I force a brittle smile hoping to put the good doctor at ease. "Carlisle, she can make all the empty threats she wants. But if she tries to come for me, my sister, or anyone we care about, we will end her. End of story."

Concern blankets his features at my words. "Isaiah, I can only imagine what she has done to you and your sister, but do you realize what you just said? You are talking about killing your own mother. The woman that gave you life and brought you up, however abominably."

"So?" I hope my eyes aren't as dead as my voice sounds, because I don't want to worry Carlisle like that. "Like you said, you can only imagine what she did to us. You weren't there when we were toddlers eating out the garbage in the apartment complex we lived in because she refused to waste money on such 'filthy, unneeded brats'. You weren't there when she would bring her 'special friends' over and goad them into beating us for her own entertainment, citing the fact that we needed 'punishment'. You weren't there when she forced us to work from the age of five in order to pay for her lavish lifestyle. You weren't there when we were brutally sliced open again and again by hundreds of lashes with her favorite whip." I breathe deeply trying to calm down, but the words, memories, and emotions spill out as if the cork has finally been released and tears well up in my eyes and spill over.

"No, Carlisle, you couldn't possibly understand what's it's like to have a mother look you dead in the eyes and tell you that you are an unlovable creature that doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as her and should simply curl up and die. One that reminds you every day that you draw breath that you are unwanted, unneeded, horrible and useless. You can't imagine what's it's like to go to bed each night wondering if you'll even wake up in the morning, or will you simply be murdered in your sleep for daring to be born. Every single day I had to watch my back and that of my twin's. We were never safe. We were never well fed unless we fought for it. We didn't get soft words and hugs from our supposed 'mother'. She never did anything to gain the title. So yes, Carlisle, I do know what I'm talking about when I say I will end her. Isabella and I would do it with a smile on our faces and warmth in our hearts. Knowing that vile, evil creature won't be able to harm another living being would not make us feel worse, merely help us sleep better at night."

A few minutes of silence follows the end of my rant. I can tell I shocked him pretty badly. My sister and I have only ever given hints as to what happened in our childhood. Most of them must have assumed that we were given little food and beaten when we did wrong. But the truth is much worse than that. We were lucky if she gave us food every other day, forcing us to forage and often poison ourselves on inedible items until we got older. And the majority of beatings were not for punishments, they were for her pleasure. For some sick, unknown reason, she always seemed to revel in our pain specifically. Something about wanting us to hurt as much as we hurt her. I can't recall having ever hurt her, but who's to know the thoughts of a crazy bitch like Renee.

"Isaiah, I-" Carlisle is speechless even after five whole minutes of thought. If vampires could cry, I'm pretty sure this man would be bawling if his face was any indication. "Please allow me to apologize, Isaiah. I shouldn't have made assumptions about your past. I never thought- That's just it, I never thought, I suppose. I'm very sorry." I can tell he means it, too.

I try to smile at him, but I'm pretty sure it's just barely a grimace. "No worries, Doc. It's not like you meant any harm." He hands me a handkerchief to dry my face. Why he would have one, I have no idea. Probably to clean up after draining a moose or something. "Anyways, I should get going. I'm sure the others are waiting for me."

As I leave the office, I mentally calculate how long I've been away from the others. At lease half an hour, if not more. Isabella should have felt the separation by now, but I haven't gotten a bad feeling. In fact, we've been able to spend longer and longer away from each other since last week. Hell, the date I went on with Alice Thursday should not have been possible, yet I was away from her for nearly nine hours and she didn't panic at all. Maybe we really are getting better, slowly but surely. We are moving past our trauma, I know this, but this is the first time I feel I can possibly look forward to a 'normal' future for the both of us, though I know it's a narrow pipe dream.

Speaking of future. Tiptoeing in order to make less noise, I sneak up behind my little pixie girl and cover her eyes. She pretends to be surprised, making me laugh.

"Hey, Ali. Guess who?" I tease, hoping my earlier tears don't show in my voice.

When she speaks, she sounds genuinely confused. "Zaya?"

I take my hands away and spin her around to face me. "What's wrong, baby?"

"How did- I mean, you surprised me."

I roll my eyes at her. She's taking this whole act way too far. "Yeah, right. Good one, Ali. Very funny." She doesn't smile. "Are you... serious?"

"Isaiah, I didn't hear you coming. I didn't smell you. I didn't _see_ you. I can never actually _see_ you clearly, but this time I couldn't at all."

"What are you-" I stop myself. Could it be _that_ again? Could Isabella have felt me in distress and helped me? She's done it before when we were younger, but purely on instinct. "Can you tell me where Bella is?"

"Bella? She's in the den with Rose and Em. Jasper had to take a call. Why?" Alice asks. When I turn to leave she grabs my wrist to stop me. "Isaiah, wait. How have you been blocking me? How did you mask your scent? How were you able to fight Paul? I have so many questions."

I jam my wrist painfully, but I get free when she realizes I'm not going to answer. Entering the den, I see Bella is asleep on the sofa. Rosalie and Emmett look up as I enter. They ask me something, but I don't register what it is. My whole focus is on my sister. Picking her up silently, I leave the house with half the Cullen family asking questions in my wake.

Just as I start to pull down the drive, Isabella's nose begins to bleed. I pull out the tissues from the glove box and do my best to staunch the flow. Shaking, I drive home, thinking the whole way.

** **Esme POV** **

I find Carlisle in his study like always. He is forever going over his medical journals and compiling reports for his patients and such. My husband never stops working no matter the occasion. Sometimes I wonder how he makes the time to spend with me, but he manages.

However, the sight that greets me is not the one I expect. My love is slumped over his desk, his head in his hands, sobbing softly. It has been decades since I last saw him cry. When I went through my change was the last time. What could possibly have him so distressed.

I rush to his side to hold him in my arms as he tells me jerkily. "I asked Isaiah like you wanted, love. I never thought- I never would have assumed it would be that bad." This stems a new bout of sobs from him. I rub his back and run my fingers though his hair as he continues. "What that woman did to those poor children. What she had them believe. It's sickening, Esme. And the look in young Isaiah's eyes when he spoke of actually killing his own mother-"

"He really said that?" I would never expect that from such a gentle, kindhearted little boy like Isaiah.

Carlisle shakes his head at the look of disgusted shock on my face. "You don't understand, love. Just like I didn't." He proceeds to inform me, nearly verbatim I suspect, what he was told of the Swan twins childhood.

When he finishes, I can all but taste the horrible woman's blood on my tongue. "Just point me in the right direction. I'll kill the bitch myself and bring the poor dears a trophy."

He gets a heated look in his eyes, one I know means long sessions of passionate bedroom play. My Carly may be a gentle and compassionate soul, but while behind closed doors... well, let's just say I'm never left wanting.

Sadly, our youngest daughter comes to the study door at that moment. "Carlisle, Esme. May I come in? I, no, we need to talk to you."

I disengage from my mate and open the thick oak and metal door. This room is largely soundproofed. The only place sound can escape or enter from is the door if spoken very close to it. And even then it is very muffled even for our supernatural hearing. Alice, Rose, Emmett, and Jasper file in, all of them looking very troubled. Once their in, Alice motions for me to close the door, effectively silencing us to the outside world.

"What can I do for you, children?" Carlisle asks. I take back my place by his side and watch everyone fidget. Vampires don't need to fidget.

While everyone looks unsure as to what to say, Emmett jumps straight to the point. "Carlisle, there's something strange about the twins."

"Now, Emmett, that's not a very nice thing to say." I admonish him.

"Strange how?" Carlisle asks.

"My mate isn't strange." Jasper growls. "And you'd do well to remember that." I've never seen Jasper so touchy, though anything to do with his mate would understandably put him on edge.

I can see that this discussion is not going to go well if tensions are not diffused. "Now, Jasper, we know Bella isn't strange. She is different, but not strange." I turn to Emmett. "Now, Em, please apologize to your brother for your poor choice of words." I know they aren't children, but right now, with tempers seeming to be running high, it's best to treat them this way.

Emmett mumbles out an apology. Jasper only relaxes a fraction, but lets it go for now.

Carlisle gives me a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you, love. Now if someone could please explain what all the fuss is about, maybe we could get to the bottom of the issue."

Alice comes out from her position slightly behind the others. "I believe that will be up to me. You see, Carlisle, for the past month and a half I've been having strange visions. They would be normal by my usual standards if not for one thing. Most of the time, I can't see the twins very well. They just appear as blurred out images. Any vision with them in it is just as murky no matter what I do. On several occasions, I can't see their future at all. It just turns black, even if they are standing right next to me and are safe."

_Oh, my. That would make them different. _"I wonder what could be causing that." I muse out loud.

Jasper gets our attention. "That's not all, Esme. Several times since I met Bella, her emotions have been closed off from me. One minute I can feel her as I do everyone else, and the next she is gone. Her brother, while I can read his emotions, I can't affect them no matter how much I try."

Rose steps in next. "Does everyone remember the day Edward met the twins." Carlisle and I shake our heads in the negatives. "Well, when we were sitting at lunch that first day, Edward threw a hissy just before he asked them what was wrong with them. And then pretty much yelled 'I can't hear you'. Do you guys think he meant he couldn't read their minds?"

"But to block all of the gifts in the family, that would mean one or both of them is gifted." I say cautiously. "Isn't that impossible for a human? Only vampires have gifts, don't they?"

Carlisle doesn't answer any of us right away. Instead, he sits at his desk and puts what I call his 'thinking face' on. It's so serious and scholarly, you can almost tell his true age when he has that expression on his face.

"Everyone, I'm going to call Eleazar."

We all object to Carlisle's statement, Alice and Jasper most stringently of all. We all know that Eleazar- while he no longer works directly for them and is considered a good friend of ours, even family- is still loyal to the Volturi to the bone. If he gets wind of all of the gifted and potentially gifted people in our family, Aro won't hesitate to make a move against us. The leader of the Volturi Kings has never hidden his greed to have any and all gifted vampires under his control to lord over the rest of us.

Carlisle raises a hand for silence. "Hush now. I know what you all think of my friend. We have discussed it at length and while I understand your views on the matter, I do not agree with them. Eleazar is a friend. A trusted friend. So are Aro and the brothers. If you cannot have faith in them, I can understand. But at least have faith in me. I do what is best for this family." He looks at Alice and Jasper as he says, "And if one or both of your mates are gifted, then we need to know. We don't know the kind of strain it would put on a human body to have access to a vampiric gift while unchanged. Know that I do this for them, and for you."

Begrudgingly, we say no more and allow him to make the call. A few moments after the phone began to ring one of the Denali coven picks up.

_ "__Hello?"_It sounds like Irina. I never liked that girl much, but she is nice enough I suppose.

"Yes, hello, Irina. It's Carlisle."

_ "Oh, Carlisle. How are you? How is your family faring?"_

"Well enough, for now. We are in Forks at present. Now, I hate to jump right to the point in such a rude fashion, Irina, but the reason for my call is a bit urgent. Would you mind terribly much putting Eleazar on the phone?"

A short, muffled conversation follows on the other side of the line. A moment later, a male voice carries to us. _"This is Eleazar. What can I do for you, Carlisle? Rina said this was urgent?"_

"Ah, yes, sadly it seems to be, old friend. You see, we have a bit of a conundrum on our hands and we thought you might be willing and able to cast some light on the issue."

_"Oh? I do like a good puzzle. Let's hear it, yes?"_Eleazar's Spanish accent is now tinged with curiosity. It isn't often that Carlisle needs to go to someone for answers.

"Well, firstly, we are wondering if it is at all possible for a human to exhibit a vampiric gift while still mortal."

A long silence follows, the only sound coming over the phone is oddly reminiscent of wind whooshing past. I begin to wonder if the man will answer when he says, _"I am alone now. It may be best this way, my friend. You asked if it is possible for a human to be gifted, am I correct?"_

"Yes, Eleazar. Do you know if this is a possibility?" Everyone is figuratively on the edge of their seats while we wait for the Spaniard's answer.

_ "It is possible. Many vampires' gifts are simply characteristics that seem to translate over from their mortal life to their immortal one. It is not all that uncommon for a very strong human to become a vampire with enhanced strength. Or, like in your case Carlisle, your compassion and self-control only strengthened to Herculean proportions after your change. We've talked about this."_

"I believe you misunderstand me, Eleazar. I know how the transferal of mortal attributes to immortal gifts works. What I wish to know is if a human, unchanged, can exhibit a manifested gift."

_ "Carlisle... Unchanged? That's..."_He seems to struggle with his answer for a moment. _"While it is possible and has happened, the chances of such a thing happening is one in a million. No, that's not quite right. It's more like one in a billion. To my knowledge, such a thing has only happened a bare handful of times. Two such subjects, now vampires, are twins and they both exhibited gifts while human. These gifts were not completely developed, but they were strong nonetheless."_

_ Wait, twins? Could he possibly be talking about the Witch Twins, Alec and Jane? _No sooner do I have the thought than Carlisle asks Eleazar.

"Could you possibly be speaking of the Witch Twins of the Volturi? They are the only twin vampires I know of."

_ "Actually, yes. So far as I am aware, they are one of the few humans to have had a manifested gift while still mortal, though it was far from perfected. It gained a more distinct form when they were changed."_

We all let this information sink in for a second.

"I see. Well, that is certainly illuminating." Carlisle says. "If you don't mind answering one more question for me, Eleazar, I would appreciated your allaying some of my concerns."

_"Of course. What is it?"_

"If a human has a gift, how could we tell? I know you have your own gift that allows you to see the gifts of others, but we do not have such methods."

_"Sadly, the only process I know of to test for a gift without my own is quite... gruesome, my friend. The mortal must be put through a series of strenuous and grueling tests. Some are quite painful while others are... mentally taxing. To my knowledge, only one human has ever survived these tests and when it was finally changed it was deemed insane and uncontrollable due to all of the stress left to its psyche."_

Jasper and Alice growl ferociously at this. I know where they are coming from. I would never want to see my mate, immortal or not, go through the types of tests those sound like. I wave them off, doing my best to assure them that this is not an option and never will be. It seems to work for now and they calm, though they are still looking angrily at the phone in my mate's hand.

"I'm afraid I don't see that as an option, my friend. But I suppose you already knew this."

_"Yes, I figured as much. I simply thought it best to let you know that there is a process for such a thing. But there is one thing I should warn you about. And I hope you will take what I say under serious consideration."_

"Oh?"

_"If you meet a human with a manifested gift, you must watch them carefully. I would not imagine it to be dangerous to our kind, but I do know that to utilize a vampiric gift with a limited human mind... well, it could potentially do serious, if not permanent, damage to the wielder. If you indeed have a human that is already powerfully gifted, change them immediately before they burn out."_

Jasper snaps to attention and grits his teeth. "Burn out? What the hell do you mean 'burn out', Eleazar?"

_"Oh, hello, Major. I didn't realize there were others in on this conversation."_ Jasper just grunts so Eleazar moves on. _"Yes, burning out, as I put it, is not an official term."_

"Please explain as best you can, my friend. This sounds very important." Carlisle now wears his 'doctor face'. My husband has many faces for many situations.

_"It is a most unpleasant state of affairs. I remember the day little Jane and Alec were turned. They had used their gifts unknowingly for so long that their minds could no longer keep up with the strain. Blood vessels burst in their eyes, blood began to leak from their noses, ears, mouths, everywhere it could find an exit, really. And the pain they must have been in. I got up the nerve to ask Alec once if he remembered what it was like. He told me it was as if his mind had turned to sludge and his body would no longer listen to him. His gift, though he was largely unaware of it at the time, started going haywire, striking out at anyone and everyone around him. It was while this was happening to the two of them that their fellow villagers found an opening to capture them and burn them as witches. Thankfully, Aro arrived in time to turn them or they would have died that day either from the fire or the burn out."_

Clutching my throat, I gasp, "How horrible. That must have been so terrifying."

_ "Indeed, Esme. That is why the Volturi have a little known and rarely used law. If a gifted person is found amongst the humans, the vampire that finds him or her must turn them as soon as possible. After all, they could be a great asset to our race."_

After thanking his old friend, Carlisle disconnects the line. The room falls into somber, thoughtful silence.

As always, Emmett is the one to break the quiet. "If Isaiah and Bella really have a gift or gifts, could they really 'burn out'? Will they die?" The fact that my mischievous son did not use his affectionate nicknames for the twins and begin making jokes really marks how serious this whole situation is.

"But we don't know if either of them actually have gifts. It's not like they've done anything supernatural." I point out gently.

Carlisle steeples his fingers and considers the facts. "Not true, love. How do you explain Edward's not being able to read them? Jasper's difficulty with his gift in regards to them? Or Alice's visions of them? I would say that is decidedly supernatural, Esme. But this just leaves a few urgent questions to be answered."

Rose is the one to supply the first one. "Which of them is gifted?"

Jasper is next, "What is the ability?"

Alice gives voice to the one we are all most concerned with. "And when will the gifted one burn out?"


	15. Heartbreak Too Soon

** **Isaiah POV** **

As I lay Bella in her bed, I can't help the tears that break free. They are hot and caustic as they course down my face and splash onto my trembling hands. I sit on the edge of my sister's bed, thinking about our past, present, and future.

In the past, we only ever had each other. We could rely on no one else. Not even Peter and Charlotte. We love them, but they didn't stay. We could only count on each other. We fought for everything we got. We lived for one another. We laughed together. We ate together. We starved together. We cried, broke, and healed together. Everything we've ever done, we have done with and for one another.

Each time things escalated with Renee, we clung to each other. We would pull each other out of the depths of our despair and rise to fight another day. In the past, we needed no one. We were complete in the knowledge we had the other. And so long as we were never separated, we were invincible. Nothing could bring us down for long.

But now, in the present. Now that we've met the people we recognize as our other halves, we know that we would never truly live without them. Sure, our hearts would probably keep on beating, but everything necessary for _life_ would be gone. They make us feel complete, happy, and cared for. Neither of us have ever had that before and I will admit, it feels great.

I smile through my tears at the memory of my sister and I talking after Renee left Thursday night.

_ Memory _

_ I'm sitting on the floor of the living room, working on my laptop. I can't believe Mr. David has let the accounting division get so lax. I will definitely be bringing this up at next month's meeting. I shake my head at the sloppy work before me and lean back to rest on my sister's knees as she sits on the couch behind me, reading._

_ I turn around to check on her for probably the thousandth time tonight. I don't see any outward signs of distress, but she must be upset. Our mother only left three hours ago. Alice and Jasper left to give us time with our father. Charlie went to bed only a little while ago, but I know neither of us would be sleeping well tonight._

_ "You don't have to keep checking on me, Izzy." Bella says, exasperated._

_ I rest my head on her knee to look up at her face better. "I can't help it. You seem too calm. After what just happened, I kind of expected at least one of us to have a melt down. I'm surprised we handled her like we did."_

_ "To be honest, it was mostly you that handled the bitch." She grumbles. "I just hid behind Jasper the whole time. How is that handling anything?"_

_ I smirk. "Hey, don't give me that. We both know that if you hadn't kept a grip on your temper, then you would have torn the witch limb from limb and spit on her remains."_

_ She blushes and hides behind her book. "No I wouldn't, I'm too much of a coward."_

_ "No, you are not. You are cautious and kind." _Until someone pushes you past your limit, then all bets are off._I don't say this though, and instead say, "That inhumane bitch deserves to die, and we both know it. To allow her to live another day is a kindness she doesn't deserve." As I watch her, I can tell she doesn't believe me when I tell her she's not a coward. I sigh, give her a smile, and turn back to my work. I can't force her to believe me._

_ We sit like this for maybe another half hour before the silence is broken again by my sister._

_ "So how are things going with Alice? You two went to Seattle today, right?" I hear her close her book to give me her complete attention._

_ My whole body relaxes at the thought of Ali-girl. The smile cresting on my face is warm, I know it. "It's going great, I think. She made me buy a whole new wardrobe today. I learned she cannot stand yellow, and navy blue is her favorite. Math absolutely puts her into a nearly comatose state, but I can tell she was trying to show interest." I laugh a little at the memory of her glazed features in the bookshop. "And did you know she can't remember her human life, at all?"_

_ "Really? That's kind of sad. To not be able to know who you were."_

_ "Yeah. A little." I continue to give the cliff notes version of my date with Alice, right up until the tense drive home. No need to worry Bella, even a little. "You know, when she's around, or even if I'm just thinking of her, I feel centered and balanced. I really love her, you know? I never thought I would ever be able to find someone I could let close to me. I really thought it would just be the two of us against the world until we die."_

_ Isabella hugs me from behind, resting her chin on top of my head. "You don't think it's too soon to fall in love?"_

_ "Hmm? No way. I love her. Simple as that. She is the other half of my world, aside from you, Izzy." I nudge her playfully and settle again._

_ She doesn't laugh like I expect her to. She remains thoughtfully silent for a few minutes. Then she drops a bomb I didn't think would come for at least a few more months. "I told my Jasper that I love him this morning." She whispers._

_ I let this sink in. I know she loves him. I can see it every time she even thinks of the guy. But my twin has always been slower, emotionally speaking. She's slower to hate. Slower to anger. Slower to trust. But apparently, not slower to love._

_ I make sure to keep my tone even. "And what did he say?" I swear if the guy didn't say it back and mean it, I'm gonna have his balls on a platter. Sure, I may need Alice's help, but I'm sure she'd be game._

_ "He said it first." She admits. "Just kind of blurted it out, really." I can hear the smile in her voice._

_ This shocks me. So, he took the risk of being shot down? Brave man, I guess. No balls on a platter this day. "I'm glad. You deserve to be happy, sis."_

_ She hugs me tighter. "We both do, brother. And we'll be happy with them. I just know it."_

_ End Memory _

Deserve to be happy, huh? Maybe we do, maybe we don't. But we won't be happy here. Not at this rate. I want this fairy tale we've been living in to continue. But it can't. I realized that tonight. To stay here, near the Cullen coven, would be suicide.

Sure, my sister and I have met a few friendly vampires over the years, a sparse few. But the majority, not so much. If they weren't automatically trying to eat us for dinner, then they simply tried to kill us or cage us because of our differences. The things Isabella and I can do... they are too dangerous to vampires for them to allow us to live uninhibited. So many times, we've escaped death by the skin of our teeth.

So we have to leave, for good. We can never see the Cullens again. I can never hold Alice and tell her that I love her again. Bella will have to leave Jasper behind. It will hurt, I know it will. But if we want to stay alive, we have to leave. Maybe we could convince Charlie to go with us. I hope so. I don't want to lose him now that we finally get to know him, finally get to have the father we've always craved. If we can keep him with us, then I'm pretty sure that we can survive the separation from our loves. In a way.

The future looks mighty bleak from what I can see.

** **Eleazar POV** **

I hang up the phone with my old friend, Carlisle, and return to my home and my mate. I see her standing on the front deck of our home, watching for me anxiously. I know how she feels, to be separated from one's mate for even a small amount of time is quite uncomfortable, especially once the bond is sealed. I take her in my arms and kiss her to make up for our time apart, however short it was.

Breaking the kiss, she frames my face tenderly. "My love, what is the matter? You look worried about something. Is there anything I can do?"

"I love you." I say simply. I take one of her hands and begin leading her away from the house, back in the direction I came from. I make sure to make it look as if I am leading her away for a tryst so that none of the girls follow us. Stopping in a different clearing than the one I was in before, I turn to my mate and grasp both of her hands. "My dear, it seems Carlisle and his coven are having a... hard time, to say the least."

"Oh, no. Should we go to them? Maybe we could help."

I shake my head at my loving mate and smile sadly. "No, love, I fear that won't do any good at the moment. Best wait for them to call on us. I'm afraid the problem is time sensitive."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember the discussion we had about potentials." She nods, but I can tell she still has questions. "Remember, potential is the term for those humans that show great promise when it comes to having gifts as one of us. And it was my job, while I worked for the Volturi, to suss out these worthy humans and evaluate them. Normally, potentials only showed mildly exaggerated characteristics. It is unusual, and highly unlikely, for a person to actually manifest a gift while still human."

"Eleazar, dear, you know I will listen no matter what it is we talk about, but please, get to point. What has this to do with our friends?"

I smile at her impatience, though I understand. "Love, I hate to say this, but it seems one of the Cullens has found their mate in a manifested potential. I was not able to get many details, but I suspect it is most likely The Major's mate from the way he growled at me."

Carmen gasps and clutches her throat. "No! Eleazar, you told me that they... don't the potentials you researched die? And that's only from an undeveloped, unused gift, right?"

"This is true. If not turned soon, I am sure the one they have will die. I told them of the burn out. I told them of Alec and Jane. But from the hints I got from the conversation, it seems the human is using the gift unconsciously. If that is so, then there is no known way to prevent early death without the change taking place."

If my love could cry at such a tragic turn of events, I know she would be right now. "Did you warn them, husband? Did you tell them to turn the poor soul? They must. I have seen the death of one such individual and would not wish such a thing on anyone."

I do my best to calm her, pulling her into me and holding her tight. "I warned them as best I could, my sweet. Now, it is up to them to act. If they wish to save this person, then they must do so before time runs out."

** **{-F-E-A-}** **

An hour later, Carmen has calmed enough to return to the house. Entering the living room, I see most of our coven is there, sans Tanya.

Irina stands from the couch next to her mate, Laurant, and sets her book aside. "Eleazar, is everything alright with our friends? Carlisle did not sound himself on the phone."

"No, they are having a bit of a crisis at the moment and needed a bit of advice." Before anyone can speak, I go on. "Sadly, there is nothing more that we can do for our extended family. My advice will have to suffice for now until they call on us in the future." Hoping this allays their fears, I turn to Kate and ask, "Where is your sister? Did she go for a late hunt?"

The strawberry blonde bombshell sets down her sewing. "I believe she went for a walk a little while ago. Don't worry, you know how Tanya can be. She'll be back in a week or so. No doubt she went to see Edward. She can't get enough of the immature brat-ling."

Too true. I feel sorry for Tanya, at times. To be stuck with a mate that refused to recognize her, it must be absolute hell. Edward has flat out refused Tanya's many advances over the decades, always admonishing her for her loose moraled ways. I could see this hurt her, to have her mate look down his nose at her, but I have to admit. I am glad she doesn't have to live with the bastard, that we don't have to live with him. Edward Cullen, though the first sired by my good friend, has always rubbed me and my girls the wrong way. Tanya never asked to recognize him as her mate, but there is little a vampire can do when fate has decided.

Often, Tanya can be counted on disappearing for a few days here and there, simply to be near the Cullen boy. Otherwise, she would go insane from the separation from her mate, unbonded though they are. She rarely approaches him any longer, favoring instead to observe from afar and pine for a love that will never be.

Smiling sadly to my mate, I pull her into my arms and whisk her upstairs for some quality time alone together._Hmm... what game shall we play today?_ I think as I begin to undress. The look in her eyes makes me burn just like always. I am happy every day I can hold my love, my life, my mate. I only wish others could feel the same eternal happiness I share with my Carmen.


	16. Extermination: Yours or Mine?

_Saturday, October 7th._

** **Charlie POV** **

Well, today is the day of their party. It's a surprise, so obviously they don't know about it. And I was volun-told by the surprisingly very intimidating Cullen women when to get them to the party. It will begin at 3:00, or at least the guests will start arriving by then. I am supposed to get the twins to the Cullen house by 4 sharp. The threat was implied, I'm sure.

But first, I have to get them dressed it seems. I sigh as I look at my son, sitting at his desk in his shorts playing some online game like it has the meaning of life hidden at the end of its' course. A few steps down the hall, I poke my head in to see if my little girl is any better than her brother. Only to find she's worse. She is still dead to the world, the same state she was in since her brother carried her in last night.

At first, I thought she had a head injury or something, but Isaiah told me not to worry, she was just very tired and he didn't feel like waking her. Even still, I stayed up half the night checking on her, but she never stirred. If it weren't for the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out, I would suspect she was dead. In fact, many times I tiptoed to her bedside just to check her pulse. Having slept for seventeen hours now, she should wake up, hell she should have already woken up.

Returning to Isaiah's doorway, I ask, "Are you sure your sister is alright? She's been asleep for a really long time."

He immediately pauses his game and turns his chair around to face me. "I told you several times now, Dad, she's fine. Just really tired. If she doesn't have a fever, then she'll be up soon. Trust me."

"Fine, but she needs to wake up soon, okay? Tired or not, we have plans today. We're spending the majority of the afternoon over at the Cullen's place."

A strange look enters his eyes for a moment before he covers it up with disinterest. "Actually, if you don't mind, I think me and Izzy want to stay at home today. You know, maybe get some distance from the Cullens. I mean, it can't be healthy with all the time we've been spending with them all. Some separation might do us some good."

_Where the hell is this coming from? They've been joined at the hip with that family since school started and now he wants space? NOW?_ I massage my forehead tiredly, trying to think of how to handle this situation. "Isaiah, I really hate calling the 'Father' card, but I will. You and your sister will be ready to go by 3:20 on the dot. Am I understood?"

He has a look of shock on his face as he nods his understanding. Satisfied, I go to get ready to leave, hoping the whole time I dress that this whole thing won't come back to bite me in the end.

** **Isaiah POV** **

Why did Charlie have to use the 'I'm the parent, now do as I say' tactic now of all days?

Hanging my head in defeat, I notice for the first time that my clenched fist is rubbing my chest absently. There is a dull ache deep in my chest, right where my heart ought to be. It started the moment I made my decision last night. The moment I decided that yesterday would have to be the last time we ever saw them. It was getting to be too risky. If we didn't back off now, they would soon realize what we are hiding. I can't let them know about Isabella. They would try to destroy her. And even if by some miracle Jasper and Alice didn't try to harm us, the rest of the family would once they learned what we are capable of. And I don't ever want to put Ali through choosing between her family and mine.

But it hurts. The thought of never seeing Ali-girl again hurts like nothing I've ever felt before. I want to lay down and curl into a ball to try and keep the shattered pieces of my heart from piercing me over and over again. I want to scream and yell at the fates that have put me in this untenable situation. If we weren't so different, so freakish, we could live happily with others. Maybe our mother would have loved us. Maybe she wouldn't have left our father and we all could have been a real family. Maybe I could still have my Alice without the fear of her finding out a dangerous secret.

I just wish I could hold my Alice one last time. Kiss her sweet lips. Hear her laugh. See the twinkle in her eyes when she knows something no one else does. Just be with her, exist with her by my side. Just one of those things would be heaven, nirvana, to me. And I would give just about anything to not have to leave.

Anything but my sister's life. I will never stop protecting my twin. For anyone. We've been together since before we were born and we will be together until the day we die. We promised each other that we would stay together always and I will never break that promise.

"Knock knock." I look up, startled, to see Izzy standing in my doorway, dressed and ready to go. "Dad woke me up, said we have somewhere to be by 4pm. It's nearly time to go, brother. You should get ready."

I can only stare at her, the pain almost doubling in my chest. I nearly whimper at the burning ache surrounding my heart. I haven't told her yet what I decided. She doesn't seem to realize how close we are to discovery.

_ If I don't tell her of my plan for now, then I can see Alice one last time. She can spend one last day with Jasper. We can have a few more hours of this sweet happiness._

The notion is too tempting to deny and hope begins to blossom tentatively deep within me. Just a few more hours with the love of my life. And that is what Alice is to me. The love of my life, the only girl I will ever love, can ever love. When my sister and I leave after today, I know we will leave a large part of ourselves behind.

Pulling my shoulders back and plastering a somewhat pleasant look on my face, I tell her I'll be right down. She skips away- probably excited to see Jasper again- and leaves me to get dressed.

My mood feels lighter already with the thought of seeing my girl again, even though she won't be mine for much longer.

_ Only a few more hours, Isaiah, don't get your hopes up too high or you'll come crashing down by the end._ I tell myself sternly as I tromp down the stairs to where my father and sister are waiting.

_Half An Hour Later..._

As the truck pulls up the long, winding drive towards the Cullen house, my sister and I gape at all the twinkling lights strung throughout the trees lining the path. Thousands of light lavender and green balloons are festooned everywhere as far as the human eye can see. Streamers make a veritable canopy above the drive as we pass, all dancing merrily in the light wind.

_I swear, only vampires could get so much done in so little time._ I think to myself.

But wait there's more. As we get closer to the house, I start to notice banners mixed in with all of the other festive decorations. The first one reads _ISAIAH_in large font so as to not be missed. One directly across from it has _ISABELLA_ written in the same manner. Right at the end of the drive when the house is in view is a huge, colorful banner that reads _Happy 17th Birthday!_ The thing is so big, I wonder how the heck the tree is even holding it up.

"Birthday?" Bella gasps at the sight of the sign. She looks to me. "But we don't know-"

"Um..." Charlie parks the truck next to several other vehicles in front of the house. "See, Esme called a while back and told me you two didn't know when your real birthday was. And when she suggested a surprise party for you, I may have gotten a little carried away helping them make plans. I hope you two don't mind"

By the end, his face is beat red with embarrassment. I can't help but to laugh. "We don't mind. In fact, I've been meaning to ask you if you knew when our birthday was. Renee never told us, and always found a way to keep us from seeing it on important documents. She could be clever when she wanted to."

Climbing out of the truck, we all make our way up the front steps. Before we can reach the door, Esme is opening it for us with a big smile on her face. We step into the foyer, and gaze in awe at the transformation. More lights than I ever thought could fit in a single space are strung here and there, balloons and streamers float all over the place and birthday banners and posters are strewn all about. And now that I realize that this party is for us, I can see that everything is colored with our favorite hues. Lavender, light and true, mixed with sea foam green makes up the majority of the decorations.

Esme leads us to the back of the house, towards the back door. The blinds are drawn for once over the large, floor to ceiling window that takes up the back wall of the house. Stepping through the doorway, Izzy and I stop in our tracks as we are blasted from all sides.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone yells simultaneously.

It really seems like the whole town is in attendance. I see some of Dad's Quileute friends are off to the side of the back deck. Jake stands next to his wheelchair bound father. Sam stands warily next to him, though Paul doesn't seem to be present. The rest of what I assume is the pack look to be standing guard around their leader.

Many of the kids from school are here, including: Tyler, Angela, Mike, Jessica, Ben, and Eric. All of their families, even the young children, are with them. And the young couple, the Whittakers we met with Dad is here with their baby. Everyone we met in Forks and Port Angeles over the past three months stares back at me and my sister, all with big grins on their faces.

And strangely enough, there are even some of our company's board members here. We haven't had much personal contact with the company over the years, but these three are exceptions. These are the only three we regularly have contact with and consider friends, of a sort.

It takes me a bit to work out of my surprise. I never would have expected this many people to show up for us. Looking to my sister, I see she feels the same. Tears mist her eyes as she looks over the crowd. Esme hugs her close and when she calms a little, she passes Bella to Charlie, who then passes her on to Carlisle, who then passes her on to the next and the next, but only to family members. The same is done to me until the hugs run out and the greetings and congratulations taper off for the moment. By the end of this, I am tense and edgy. Looking around, I spot Alice as she skips over to me and practically glues herself to my side. I wrap an arm around her and gently bury my nose in her hair, doing my best to memorize her scent. I hope she won't spring away as she is wont to do.

An hour later, the party seems to be in full swing. I think it is, anyways. Music is playing, people are talking and laughing all around. Food is being eaten. Izzy and I are sitting on the edge of the deck, looking out on the crowd that is gathered to help us celebrate our birthday.

"Hey, Isaiah?" Bella leans her head on my shoulder.

"What's up?" My gaze scans the crowd, watching as Ali flits to and fro, greeting guests, laughing at jokes. I wish she would come back. I only have so much time with her and don't want a second of it wasted.

"Is this a dream?" My sister sure looks like she's dreaming as I look at her with concern.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders and hug her tight to my side. "Thankfully, you are not dreaming, dear sister. This is actually happening. Though I can't seem to bring myself to believe it either. Who would have thought that in less than four months, our life could change so drastically."

She gives me a watery smile and hugs me back. Jasper seems to appear out of nowhere by her side just then.

"Hello, Darlin'. Enjoying your party?" His country drawl rolls like honey and I'm pretty sure it makes my sister weak in the knees._Ick! Not something I wanna know about!_

I slip my arm off Izzy's shoulders as she replies. "Sure. Just taking a rest. There are a lot of people here, after all."

Alice sidles up beside me and tucks herself happily under my arm on the opposite side from my sister. "Well, don't tire yourselves out too much, you two. The party is only beginning."

My twin and I groan, but we don't really mean it. It's fun to tease Alice, and I want to do it as much as I can before the evening ends. "What do you have in mind, Ali-girl?" I'm reluctant to ask for fear of the answer.

"Well, since all of the guests have finished off the finger foods we put out, it's time to cut the cake!" I am pretty sure my face perfectly mirrors Bella's. Green and sickened. After nearly six months of living off of sweets, desserts, and confectioneries, my sister and I can't stand anything sugary.

Bella is quick to assure her. "Alice, we really don't need a cake, do we? I mean, it-"

Jasper rubs a hand down Bella's back and she immediately softens. It is a very disturbing sight. "Don't worry, Darlin'. Your dad told us how you two hate sweets. We got something we thought you two may like. Come on." He grabs her hand and tugs her gently to her feet to begin leading her away. Alice and I follow at a much slower pace, as I am reluctant to rush our dwindling time together.

Warily, I approach a table that seems crowded with gifts. Just on the other side of the mountain is a tiered stand full of miniature... pies? They are. They're actually mini sweet potato pies from the smell of them. At the top of the stand sits a normal sized pie with two candles pressed into it. The first is a one and the other is a seven and they are both lit already.

Before I know it, everyone is gathered around singing Happy Birthday. I look at the people surrounding us. Charlie, Alice, Jasper, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle, our friends from school, the Natives from the reservation, our board members, and so many more. All of them singing and wishing us a happy birthday. My sister grabs my hand and we hold on tight to each other as if we are little kids again.

When they finish we step up to our 'birthday cake', close our eyes, and make a wish. It's so hard to choose between all the wishes I want to make. I want to not have to leave Alice and the others. I want to be normal, as normal as can be anyways. I want to live with everyone around me at the moment, happy and safe. I want... to see Peter and Charlotte again. They always made things simple. Easy. If they were here, I just know everything would work out.

Opening my eyes, I see the smoking wicks of the partially melted candles directly in front of me. Raising my eyes, I look towards the gathered crowd, my gaze skating over everyone in attendance, doing my best to memorize their features one last time. I want to burn this memory into my mind so that I can pull it out whenever things get hard and I need to remember something good.

Charlie, my father. The man who has helped to make me and my sister whole by giving us a home. He loved us even when he thought we hated him. He would do anything for us, so long as we are happy. _I wonder if he would be willing to go with us when we leave. It's not like he needs to work, though I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be willing to take charity from us._ I think to myself.

Esme and Carlisle, my second parents. They helped me grow further as a person, even though we've only known each other for a matter of weeks. They will always hold a special place with me. They accepted my sister and me without question and let us into their home even though we knew their secret and posed a danger to their security.

Emmett and Rose. The first taught me that just because you're a grown up, doesn't mean you can't still have fun from time to time- more like all the time, but that's just Em. And the latter, my car crazy sister, showed me it's okay to show your feelings on the outside even after experiencing pain.

Alice and Jasper. The puzzle pieces that complete the picture that is Isaiah and Isabella. They are our other halves. I know it will hurt to leave them, but for our safety and theirs we have to. There is the chance they would turn against us, too, but I highly doubt that outcome. I'm going to miss the quiet aloofness of Jasper. His mere presence can calm someone, no matter how upset they are. He's a good influence on my sister. And Alice, sweet, beautiful little Alice. I'll miss her most of all. _I wonder if she's seen my decision to leave. She hasn't hinted as much. If she has, is she happy that I will go and not make her choose between her family and mine?_ The thought comes unbidden and unsettles me further.

My eyes travel onward over the group until I see something that causes me to double take.

There, at the back of the crowd, stands the two people that could make this day complete.

Bella must have seen them, as well, because the next thing I know we are both shouting and taking off like dual shots towards them.

"Peter! Charlotte!" We yell together. We launch ourselves at the same time at our 'Uncle'. If the man wasn't a vampire, I'm pretty sure we would have tackled him to the ground in our excitement.

Laughing loudly, because he never does anything any other way, Peter picks us both up and swings us around in a dizzying circle. When he finally puts us down, we dive in to hug Charlotte, a lot gentler this time. She may be a vampire, but this girl is tiny with a capital T.

Breaking away after a long hug, Charlotte holds us both at arm's length to inspect us. "Oh, you two have grown so much since the last time we saw you. You look good." Unshed venom tears well in her eyes as she looks us over. "But have you been eatin' enough? Gettin' enough sleep? What about your studies? And have you made any friends? What are they like?"

"Now, now, Char, we shouldn't monopolize the guests o' honor." Peter's southern twang is even more pronounced than I remember. He speaks above our protests. "Now, none o' that, you two. Go on and enjoy your party. We'll still be here by the end." They give us one last hug and a ruffle of our hair before walking over to the Cullens. Our well-wishers descend as soon as we are free.

After our school friends move away to attack the sweets laid out for them- avoiding the sweet potato pies like the plague- the Quileutes surround us en mass. Paul isn't with them, so I don't think they are here out of aggression, but with all of them blocking off our escape routes it makes me uneasy.

Chief Black is the first to speak. "Do you two know what you are getting into here? The Cullens and those others are dangerous. If you keep company with them, something horrible will happen. You need to get away from them. Fast."

Who the hell does this guy think he is? He isn't our father. He has no say in our lives. It doesn't matter if I have already decided to leave them or not. That's for their own good, as much as for mine or my sister's.

Before I can say anything, Bella grabs my arm after throwing a few dirty looks at the tall, muscular men surrounding us. "Thank you for the warning, Chief, but if you don't call off your mutts right now, they'll be in a world of hurt."

The natives all look stunned to realize that we know about their supernatural abilities. The only one that doesn't scowl at us as they part to make way is Jacob. He grins at us as we pass and gives us a thumbs up. I knew he was a good kid. Sad that he's surrounded by so many shit influences, though.

Once we're free of the furry convention on steroids, we make our way over towards our three board members, though we really just want to run over to where we saw our Aunt and Uncle last.

Richard Howard sees us first. "Mr. Swan, it's an honor to have been able to celebrate your birthday today." He shakes my hand enthusiastically then turns to my twin. "Ms. Swan, a pleasure as always." His tone towards my sister cools considerably. He once tried to get a little too friendly, in my opinion, not knowing how old she was and almost lost his job because of it. The only thing that kept him in his position is the fact that Bella vouched for him, saying that he had no ill intentions, merely showed interest in what he thought was just a very young looking business woman. It saved the man by the skin of his teeth.

"Thank you for coming, Rich. It's always nice when we can catch up." I don't give him the chance to shake Bella's hand. He may be counted among our friends, but that doesn't mean I want to trust him around my sister.

"Ms. Swan, I was wondering if you had anymore input on the compress issue we discussed last month." Sissel Johnson, director of our R&D department, dives right into business. That is why we hired her to begin with, she never leaves the office, even when she leaves the office. She's very efficient like that.

I don't even try to translate what the two of them are talking about. It will put me to sleep on my feet if I attempted it. Thankfully, Zein David, my lead accountant, gets my attention. He is, by far, my favorite among these three. It's not long before we're recounting tales of when we first became fascinated by numbers.

"Things were a little dicey there for a little while," I say, "but soon we were operating in the black comfortably and were thinking of expanding our reach beyond investments. I can't tell you how many nerve wracking moments Izzy and I had during those first few months. I laugh about it now, but I would not want to repeat the learning phase."

Zein gives a full belly laugh that reminds me of Santa Claus, head thrown back, jelly roll belly, and red dimpled cheeks and all. "True enough. I remember how, when I trained my son to take over my own business after you and your sister hired me, I would find Ahmad practically pulling his hair out while staring at all the numbers laid out before him. It took him quite a while to finally see the pattern in among the riff-raff." That's what I liked about Zein. He takes life as it comes and laughs about it before, during, and after. A lot of people say accountants are boring and stuffy, but not Zein. He is full of life and never stops moving.

A lot like Alice.

Alice. I wonder where she took off to. She's been flitting to and from my side all evening. I wish she would just stay with me and not worry about the others. But I might as well just wish the world would stop spinning and the sky to turn into the ocean. I smile at my thoughts and daydream about a life with Alice. What it would be like to marry her. Live with her. Be changed for her. To never part no matter what may come.

My dreams are interrupted when Isabella tugs on my sleeve. Turning to look at her, I see she's pointing towards the trees that line the far end of the back yard. There, I see Charlie slipping in amongst the branches and disappearing into the dark interior.

_What the heck is he doing? It's dark in the forest at this time of night. If he needs to drain the dragon, he can just go inside. He knows this._

Bella motions for me to follow her. Disengaging as politely as I can, I hasten after my sister as she follows our father.

Passing under the first few branches, I ask, "Izzy, what if he's just relieving himself? Do you want to walk up on him like that?"

She frowns at the thought but then shakes her head. "He's not. Just before I got your attention, I saw something moving in the trees. I think he's following something. But he may go too far in this dark. It's best if we follow him."

That's my sister, stubborn to the bone. I try one last time to persuade her to leave Charlie to his own devices. "Sis, Charlie is a grown man. He doesn't need us looking after him. Besides, what if we get lost out here with him? Then who will send for help?"

She shakes her head again, her mouth setting in a mulish line. "We won't get lost."

"And how do you know that? Are you psychic like Alice now?"

She opens her mouth to answer, but then closes it and remains stubbornly silent.

_Gah! Mule headed twerp!_ I continue resolutely after her, keeping my eyes and ears open in case a wild animal decides we would make a nice treat.

Fifteen minutes later, we find ourselves just outside of a clearing. Our father is standing in the middle of it, tall and proud. And just in front of him is a very, very large wolf.

_Oh, my, what big teeth you have, Mr. Wolf._My sluggish mind grinds this errant thought over and over in the forefront of my brain, but it won't process anything else. I think this is what many may refer to as 'Stuck on stupid.'

It stands nearly double the height of a man at the shoulders and its deep black eyes look cold and full of malice. Its dark silver coat glistens in the moonlight as it bristles at the comparatively puny man before it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing prowling around this part of the forest, Paul?" Charlie says, his voice cold and official. Bella and I stand shocked at our father's words. This thing is Paul Lahote? Our father, the human Police Chief of Forks, knows about shifters?

The wolf huffs and rolls it's eyes.

"Don't you give me that shit. What do you think would have happened if one of the Cullens spotted you skulking around in that form on their territory? I wouldn't have been able to say a damn thing, you ignorant brat! They would be well within their rights to have a new wolf rug for that big house of theirs."

The beast growls and crouches, looking ready to spring.

Charlie just folds his arms and stares the silver wolf straight in the eyes. "Go ahead and try it, Paul. Let's see that pack of yours tear you apart like a vampire when they learn you attacked an honorary member of the tribe." The big thing straightens up but snarls. "Whatever, you damn coward. I wish Sam would have let Isaiah kick your ass the first time, however he managed it. Then maybe your ego wouldn't be so inflated."

I can't help my chest puffing in pride at my father's statement. And despite the drastic situation, a big cheesy grin comes to my face. It falls only seconds later, though, when a voice from the very recent past is heard.

"Come now, Chief Swan, is that any way to talk to an old friend?" A whiny little voice says from the shadows on the far side of the clearing from me and Bella.

** **Bella POV** **

Edward? What is he doing here? I thought the family sent him away weeks ago now.

But more importantly, how the hell does my dad know about shifters? And does he know about vampires? Does he know about me? About Isaiah, too? Too many questions that need to be answered and no one to answer them at the moment.

"What are you doing here, Edward? It was my understanding that you were ousted from your coven a while ago. Why are you back?" Charlie asks levelly.

"Che. Whatever. The only reason I was sent away was to make room for their new human pets." Edwards spits a mouthful of venom to the ground and watches as the grass and earth blackens. "But no worries. Once I rid them of the vermin, I'll be welcomed back with open arms. We are a family, after all."

This shocks me. Rose told me that Edward was very immature even for an immortal seventeen year old, but I thought she was only exaggerating out of annoyance and spite. Is it possible that he is mentally an Immortal Child? I have never heard of such a thing, but then again, I am only human not a vampire.

"Do you even hear how ridiculous you sound right now?" Charlie exclaims. Paul crouches to the side, looking between the two, vampire and human. "You're talking about killing my children? Right to my face? Do you really think I would let you get away with that? Vampire, shifter, or human, it doesn't matter who it is, I will not let anyone threaten my family!" By the end, my dad's face is his signature purple, indicating he is suitably enraged.

_ Huh. Maybe I get more than just my blushes from him. Maybe I get my temper from him, too._ I think as I watch the tense silence build among the three.

A full minute passes before Edward waves a careless hand, dismissing Charlie as insignificant. "It matters not, you worthless piece of garbage. I already have what I seek right within my grasp." He looks over Charlie's shoulder and calls out. "Hey, doppelgangers! Quit stalling and come meet your deaths bravely. You won't like it if I have to come to you." He crooks his index finger in our direction, motioning us forward.

Seriously? Is he a late night TV villain or something? This act is just terrible. I look to Isaiah to see how he wants to handle this situation. Run, get help, and risk Charlie dying, or stay, confront the bastard, and risk us all dying?

Grabbing my hand, my brother nods and we both start forward towards the motley group in the center of the clearing. As we get closer, I note that Edward is actually wearing the same clothing he had on the day he left. They are tattered and have definitely seen better months, let alone days, but still hanging in there, thank goodness.

"'Sup, Fuckward. Dog-breath. How are you this fine evening?"

Goddammit! Why does Isaiah have to be antagonistic right now? We need to diffuse the situation, not make it worse. Even I know this much! He's supposed to be the more business minded of the two of us. You don't bust into a business meeting throwing insults around like they're candy!

"Shut your mouth, child!" _Ha! Look who's talking?_ "I have many grievances that will be righted by your deaths. Now come to me so that I might taste your sweet blood."

My vision begins to blur and turn red, my anger spikes and I can taste copper in my mouth. **_LET ME OUT!_**

_ No, not now. Not now! I need control right now, not chaos. I need order and a plan. I can't just go charging in, I could get us all killed._

_ PROTECT MINE! LET ME OUT!_It rattles its' chains and I notice they are considerably weaker than I would like them to be.

_ I have to stay in control. I have to stay in the moment. I can't hurt any of them._

A moment of silence passes from the 'other'. It almost feels thoughtful. _Won't hurt mine. Now... _**_LET ME OUT!_**_ Let me protect!_

This has never happened before. The other has never actually spoken to me before. Just at me, screaming in my head for me to act._Just let me think. Let me decide._

A nearly feral growl is my answer, but the struggle against the mental bonds ceases for the moment. I breathe a sigh of relief. I open the eyes I didn't realize I had closed to see Charlie standing in front of me, facing Edward.

"If you think I'm going to let you have my children, you're crazier than I thought!" Dad snarls, a pretty good impression of a vampire.

"This is hilarious! You actually think you can best me?" Edward guffaws. Everything about him irritates me. "Paul! Now is the time. Take the revenge you crave. Right the wrongs done to you by this immature child before us!"

The large, silver wolf crouches to attack, but he looks doubtful. I would, too, if I were about to attack someone who has kicked my ass twice now. Hardening his resolve, he lunges, clearly intent on getting to my brother. Just as his huge paws leave the earth, he hits a barrier. He lands and scrabbles against it, trying to get through, but no matter what he tries, it won't budge.

Isaiah grabs my hand roughly. "Izzy, no! You know what happened the last time! Don't do this! I may not be able to help you in time."

I look to my brother and see the concern written clearly on his face. Charlie doesn't turn toward us, only watches Edward. I don't bother telling him that he shouldn't antagonize him. He knows about vampires, so he should already be aware he stands no chance.

"Izzy, listen to me while you still can. Drop the shield! You have to drop-"

"SHUT UP! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!" Edward finally breaks and I think I hear an audible snap. Oh, no, that's Paul's bone breaking as he bashes the barrier. "I'm sick and tired of you two thinking you're so special. You stole my family from me! You made them hate me! I will make you pay! I will make you suffer worse than I did! Die! Just die!"

Everything seems to happen fast and slow at the same time.

Charlie lunges forward, going in to tackle Edward. Why he thinks he can take him, I have no idea. Maybe it's a parental instinct that I can't comprehend. I'm not terribly worried about the outcome, though. I can feel my shield surrounding my dad as the other acts through me by instinct, though it's straining to keep it in place from the back of my mind.

Edward sneers at my father and goes to grab him by the throat. Just as his hand is about to connect, I feel Charlie's section of my shield disappear like it never existed and I feel almost sick with fear. Charlie is now exposed and vulnerable as Edward grabs him. I try to replace it, but just as I feel it attempt to stretch back in place, a searing agony lances through my skull. It brings me to my knees with a keening cry of pain.

When I open my eyes, feeling liquid seeping down my face, I see my dad- my strong, brave father- held firmly in Edward's grip. The bastard has his mouth suctioned to the side of Charlie's neck and he has an evil glint in his eyes as my father's struggles become weaker and weaker.

_ I TOLD YOU TO LET ME OUT! _The presence in my mind pushes against the bonds one last time and I all but feel them give way. As it comes to the forefront of my consciousness, I feel myself slipping into oblivion. Just before the darkness closes in, I see Edward fly back away from Charlie. My father's limp, pale body crashes to the ground with a resounding thud. And I know no more.


	17. Ugh! Me Cave Man!

**Peter POV**

_God, those kids have grown so much,_ I think as I see them for the first time in nearly ten years. Already seventeen, practically adults. They aren't the angry, crying seven year-olds my mate and I rescued all those years ago. With my vampire memory, I still remember it like it was yesterday.

_ Memory _

Phoenix, Arizona 1996

_Sitting in the theater, I look over to see my mate's awed face. No matter how many times we go to the cinema, she is always amazed at what the artists create. She loves to watch movies, and I love to watch her. Her simple pleasure in so many things, in life itself, makes me feel alive. _

_ She catches me staring at her and smiles. Giving me a quick kiss, she goes back to the movie on screen. _

Does she really think that will be enough?_ I grin devilishly as I tuck my hand behind her neck and drag her back in for a heated, passionate kiss that I know will leave her weak kneed and over-heated. _

_ Suddenly, I pull away and freeze, everything in me screaming to get up. To move. To save the little ones._

Little ones? What little ones? I don't do kids. Kids are noisy, messy, and all around a problem._ I frown when my knower won't stop blaring at me. Save the little ones! Save them! Protect them! Move! Go!_

_ “Pete? What's wrong, baby?” Charlotte asks breathlessly. She runs her hand down the side of my still frozen face. _

_ I swallow thickly, and get up, dragging my confused mate with me. Hurriedly, I hustle out of the theater at a human pace. As soon as we are unobserved, I break into a run with vampiric speed. Charlotte keeps up the pace easily, knowing that she won't get a satisfying answer until I've done what needs doing. _

_ Stopping on a side street, I wait until I feel the direction we need to go. A few seconds later, we find ourselves in a bleak side alley by a run down apartment complex on the 'wrong side of town'. Stretching out my senses, I wait and listen, taking in the stagnant air. After a minute, my knower is blaring at me again._

_ Rushing forward, I'm just in time to see a little girl- so small and fragile it's ridiculous what she is attempting- she rushes a vampire in the process of feeding from a frightened and angry boy's thin wrist. _

_ As soon as I saw the little girl, I knew, just knew, that I had to keep her alive. And in order to do so, the boy would have to live. She had to survive. Because if she didn't, then Charlotte and I would lose the only other family we had. The Major. Our brother. Our sire._

_ “Charlotte, you secure the little girl. I'll get the boy.” Not bothering to see if she followed direction- I knew she would- I shot forward and pried the feeding vamp off the boy. It screeched and hissed at me for interrupting its meal. _

_ Sneering at the vile, loathsome creature, I quickly and efficiently dispose of the creep. Any vampire that chooses to feed on innocent women and children does not deserve to walk this earth. Tossing the body parts into a nearby dumpster, I throw one of my matches on the wriggling mass. The flames jump to life quickly and give off the signature purple smoke of a vampire's pyre. _

_ I hear struggling behind me. Turning to my mate and the tots, I am just in time to see the tiny little mate of my sire slip free from Charlotte and dive towards her brother. She leans over him, obviously trying to protect the now changing kid, not knowing what is wrong with him. I move with speed to kneel at their side. Looking the boy over quickly, I see that he was only bitten on the wrist. This is good. That means only one place to suck the venom from. _

_ Grabbing the kid's wrist I start to lift it to my mouth to negate the change. Just before I make contact, I feel him slip from my grasp like water. Startled I see the girl crouched defensively over her brother still, staring at me with wicked defiance in her eyes. _

_ “What the fuck?” I look to Charlotte to see if I was imagining things. But she's just as shocked as I am. Reaching down, I grab the wrist again and attempt to suck the venom out. Only to have the appendage slip from my hold again. “What the fuck is going on?”_

_ The little girl gives a weak, human growl that is oddly... threatening? _How the hell is that possible?

_ “Leave Izzy alone.” She rasps weakly. “Don't hurt my brother. Just go away.”_

_ My knower tells me I need to explain to her or I won't be able to help them. Sometimes, I hated the thing. This is just wasting precious time that the boy doesn't have. “Listen kid, do you want your brother to die?” She glares at me defiantly. _I gotta say, this kid has spunk._ “If I don't suck out the... poison the other guy put inside him, he will be dead in less that a fortnight.” I practically see the information click in her little brain._

_ As I watch, something... just something seems to slide away from the boy laying still and quiet on the ground. Not questioning the odd occurrence, I take this chance to suck the venom out of the boy. Just in time, too. If it had been any longer, there would have been no hope for the kid. _

_ Sitting back and holding my breath, I calm the blood lust that arose as I drank. After a moment, I feel calm enough to speak. I open my eyes just soon enough to see that same... something... slip back over the boy._

_ “Is Izzy gonna be okay now?” The little girl asks warily. “All the poison is gone, right? My twin won't die?”_

_ Looking closer at the two, I see they can be nothing but twins. They aren't identical, as one is a boy and the other a girl, but for all that, they are similar in many ways. Same small frames. Same round faces. Same brown hair. And I imagine the same warm brown eyes, though the boy's are closed. _

_ Charlotte answers for me when I'm silent. “That's right, sug'. He'll be just fine soon. He just needs to rest. Where do you two live? We can take you home if you want.” _

_ The girl didn't answer, simply picked up her brother as best she could and grunted out a terse 'thank you' to us. She then began to struggle away under the weight of her twin. I shake my head in amusement. _

_ I point towards the tiny heaving figure moving slowly away. “You have to admit, Char, she's a lot like that person, wouldn't you say?”_

_ It took a minute, but she finally got it. Her eyes widen incredulously. “You mean--”_

_ “Stubborn as all get out. And too proud to accept help that isn't forced on him.” I nod sagely. “Yeah, just like him.” Sighing, I get up from my spot on the ground and march over to the two kids. Plucking the boy from her tiring arms, I cradle him gently to my chest. My knower is telling me to show I am not a threat if I want to help. And by god, I really do want to help these two sad looking urchins._

_ The girl looks up at me in terror. I think she's about to attempt something stupid for a second, but instead, she only lifts her arms tiredly and says, “Give him back. I have to go home. If Izzy and me aren't there when she gets back, we won't get dinner. Izzy needs food to get better, so please give him back.”_

_ I stare down at the audacious little girl that barely crests my knee, if that. “What do you mean you won't get dinner?” _Why would anyone send kids this young to bed without dinner? That's just crazy.

_ She stares back, merely grasping her hands and beginning to look exasperated. _

_ Charlotte comes up and crouches before her. “If it makes you feel better, we can get you some food. Would you like that? As much as you want.” I can see the gleam in the tiny tot's eyes at the thought of food and her arms drop to her sides. After a second, she actually drools a little. _

_ Shaking her head vigorously, she holds her arms up again. “Please give him back. I have to go!” She's starting to sound a little panicked._

_ Though it shouldn't be happening this soon, the boy in my arms begins to stir at his sister's distress. He mumbles incoherently. Not even I can understand what he's saying. _

_ “Come on, sug'. It'll be okay. You both need food, right? Is your mama home? We can take her with us if you want. Our treat, promise!” Charlotte tries again to persuade the little spit fire before us. _

_ But this is evidently the wrong thing to say. I don't need to have The Major's empathic ability to see the utter, sheer terror and revilement on the tot's face. She shakes her head and reaches for the still stirring kid in my arms. _

_ Sighing, I do the only thing I can think to do. I place the boy back in her tiny arms. As soon as he feels her near, the boys stops moving and drifts off again. Before she can move away even a step, I snatch up the girl and boy both and start running for the small house Char and I are renting on the outskirts of the city. _

_ “No! Put us down!” The girls squirms ineffectively. _I wonder why she doesn't just use that shifty little thing she did before. Odd. _“You've got to put us down! If we don't go back soon, if she finds us gone, it will be bad. I don't like it! PUT ME DOWN!!” She gets more and more hysterical as the the miles pass underfoot. _

_ But I know I can't put her or the boy down. I can't let them go back to their home, not yet. My knower is screaming quite a bit tonight. More than it has in years, really. If we let these toddlers go back to their home, whoever was there would kill them before the month was up. And that is absolutely out of the question._

_ Reaching the quaint little house on the far edge of a middle class neighborhood, I wait for my mate to open the door. Stepping inside, she looks at the now silent and crying girl in my arms. Not bothering to stop, I take them straight to the only bedroom in the house. Laying them down, I see the girl has passed out. Probably exhausted at this late hour. I tuck them in snugly and return to the kitchen at the front of the house. _

_ I find Char there, already whipping something up for the tots. I smile at my little domestic wife. She loves having someone to take care of. Anyone, really, but especially kids. I don't much care for the whiny little things, but my mate is another story. She's always wanted kids, and has always regretted- to an extent- not being able to have any. It is her only regret for being changed. _

_ I sit down at the usually unnecessary dining table and heave out a beleaguered sigh. “What the hell has my knower gotten us into now?”_

_ Charlotte laughs quietly, mindful of the kids in the other room. “I don't know, babe, you tell me. It's your gift.”_

_ “It ain't a gift and well you know it!” I snap halfheartedly. _

_ “As you say.” She murmurs, unimpressed. “So, the girl is the Major's mate? She's so small. She can't be any more than four, five at the oldest and that's pushing it.”_

_ Wrong. “Nah. They're both seven.” I wince when Char drops the metal mixing bowl she was combining ingredients in. “Char? Hon, what's up?” Vampires don't drop things. I look for any sign of danger that would cause my woman distress. I find nothing._

_ She whips around to face me and I can tell that, if she could, she would be crying. I have no idea why. “Seven?” Her tone is harsh and disbelieving. “Those poor babies can in no way be seven years old, Peter Whitlock. You tell me the truth right now, or so help me, I will--” A hiccuping sob interrupts her threat, though I can guess the gist of it. Usually something to do with my family jewels. _

_ Rising from my seat, I take her in my arms and begin to purr. I have no idea why she's so upset, but I know she needs comfort. With nothing to fight, no threat to get rid of, this is all I can do. _

So the kids are small. Whoop-dee-doo. No big deal. Kids are always small, but they grow to adulthood. And survival rates are much higher now-a-days than they were when I was a kid.

_ When Char calms sufficiently, I speak, “I don't understand. What's so upsetting about what I said? Why would I lie? You know my knower is never wrong.”_

_ She hiccups once more and pulls away without a word. I follow her into the living room. She marches over to the computer set up we have and sits down, looking like she's on a mission. After a few minutes, she gets up and plunks me in the chair before the desktop. I stare at the screen then back up at her. _

_ “Educate yourself.” I know that look. That look means 'do as I say, or no nookie for a year'. Peter likes his nookie, thank you very much, so I set to reading. _

_ And what I read makes me want to be sick. The articles on normal child growth rates. How much food, sleep, and all around attention they need on average. The notices on child abuse on the rise. Signs to watch for. Starvation and the effects it can have on growing children. And the worst of all is the article I read on how prolonged exposure to severe physical abuse can stunt the growth and development of a kid ages 0-13._

_ It only takes me a few minutes to absorb all the information. By the time I'm done, I am shaking with my rage. Pushing away from the computer as gently as I can so as not to break it and anything around me, I trudge to the bedroom to look in on the kids, to make sure they are still there, still safe for the moment. As I stand over them, watching them sleep like the innocent children they are, I note the signs I just read about. _

_ Chapped lips from dehydration. Bones showcased by their thinness. Dark bruising under their eyes from lack of sleep. Leaning a little closer, I tug the blankets down to check them further. As the covers move away, I see scars aplenty on their small frames. Some are fresh, others not so much. _

_ “I--” My voices cracks as I try to speak. I take a deep breath and turn to Char, who is standing in the doorway looking devastated. “I just thought... I mean, when I was a kid, this” I motion to their appearances, “was the norm. I never thought for a second-- My knower didn't tell me, or I would have--” _Would've what, Peter? Hunted and killed the ones responsible for this? Oh, yeah, that'll make The Major's mate and her brother not fear you.

_ Char rushes to me and holds me like I did her not a half hour past. We both shake and cry together as we watch the poor kids sleep. “What are we gonna do, Pete? We can't just let them go back, can we?”_

_ I open my mouth to tell her that there was no way in hell that would happen. But I couldn't. Because _I hate my goddamn knower!_ “We can't keep 'em, Char.” I croak out, just as pissed as she gets. “I know what you're gonna say, hon. I get it, and I feel the same way. God, I really do. But we can't keep 'em. If we do, everythin' will be just... wrong later on. They have to stay where they are.”_

_ She looks at me for a long moment in time, looking like she wants to fight even me to help these poor little tykes, but in the end, she knows I'm right. That I would never lead her astray. “How long can we stay, then? Can't we at least get them healthy? We have to do somethin'!” She pleads, venom tears welling in her eyes again._

_ I nod, looking back to the twins. They seem so at peace right now, but I know that when they wake, the pain will fill them up again. If we don't do something to help, something to make life even a little bit easier on them, then they would both die before their eighth year. “We can stay for a time. That doesn't seem like so much to ask. A year maybe.”_

_ My mate nods and heads back to the kitchen to finish with the food. I wait on the edge of the bed, impatient for them to wake up. _

_ End Memory _

I'm pulled from my own mind by a hard hand clapping me on the back. I look over to see The Major, or Jasper as he is now, standing at my shoulder, watching his mate interact with her friends.

“So, looks like you've got a story to tell, brother.” He sends me a look full of meaning, and I know there is no getting out of the ass whooping I have coming. Not only did I find and save his mate without telling him, I also left her and her brother in the clutches of that evil bitch they called Mother.

“I will if you can promise not to kick my ass by the end of it.” He gives me a sideways glance, but nods at my request. “What do you want to know, exactly, Major?”

“Just call me Jasper, for now, Peter. Too many people around to ask questions.” He's thoughtful for a moment. “Actually, it might be best if we take this little pow-wow inside.”

I nod and we set off for Carlisle's study on the second floor. Before I know it, the whole damn clan is filing in after us. All eight of us make the room seem a mite small, but whatever. I sit on the edge of the desk and pull Char in between my knees and rest my chin on her shoulder. She relaxes into me and I brace myself for the inquisition.

The Major, no way am calling him Jasper- I like my limbs right where they are- stands in the middle of the room and faces me. I gulp at the look on his face. There's no way this is going to be a pleasant after dinner conversation.

“Captain, why did you not tell me about my mate? Why, in ten years, did you never find the time to inform me that she was alive and needed me?” He growls out.

“Now, Major, you know I would've if I could've. If--”

“Oh, really?” His voice is as cold as the grave in his anger. I can tell we are really pushing the limit of his control. The golden irises of his eyes are being eaten up by the black and ever expanding. “And what, do tell, stopped you from pickin' up the phone? Writin' a letter? Hell, even sendin' a goddamn telegram would'a been welcome.”

Char presses into me, trying to shield me from our brother's anger even while drawing comfort from me. “Major, please, let us explain. We never wanted to leave those kids. Never, but we couldn't stay and we couldn't tell anyone about them.”

“Explain, Lieutenant, now!” His sentences are getting shorter, soon we will be completely fucked.

Charlotte draws a deep, mostly unneeded breath and forges on. “The day we found those two, we were visiting Phoenix for a change of scenery. When we went out that night, we weren't expecting any trouble. But you know how Peter's gift works.” I want to correct her, but I feel now is not the time. “We stopped what we were doing immediately and ran to where the twins were. Little Isaiah was nearly drained dry by the vampire that got to him. Isabella was doing everything she could to get the bastard away from her brother, but she's only human.”

Everyone, including the Major, growls at hearing this. I don't blame them, really.

“Yes, well, I got Bella away from the man while Peter dragged the vamp away and disposed of him. Soon, after a bit of difficulty, we got the venom out of Isaiah just in time to keep him alive and we took him to our house. When we noted the signs of abuse, we wanted to keep them. We could have given them a much better life than they had, but...” She stops, shuddering against me.

I pick up where she left off. “But I knew that if we kept them, nothing would turn out right. I still don't know what would have happened if we did, but I did know one thing.” I look to the Major and Alice directly. “If we had kept and raised them for any more than a year like we had, then they would have died. I don't know how, I don't know why. I only know that we had to leave them. And even staying a year was pushing the limit. In that year, we made their mother believe they were working for us as errand runners. We gave them a generous 'paycheck' every week, which seemed to keep the bitch satisfied. When they could support themselves with their start up company, which they set up on their own,” I puff up with pride for the kids, “we had to leave. We had no other excuse to stay. The only thing we could do from then on was watch them from afar and make sure they didn't die.”

“I still don't fully understand.” Alice says, stepping forward. “Why didn't you at least let us know our mates were out there?”

“Tell me, little pixie, knowing Isaiah was your mate, could you have left him in the situation he was living in?” She looks at her feet in consternation. “I didn't think so. And I don't blame you. I would kill anyone that threatens my Char, no questions.”

A growl rips out of the Major's chest again. He looks distinctly pissed. “She was hurt.”

I stand and place my wife behind me. “Listen, Major, please. I don't like it either, almost as much as you, but you know how these things work. If anything interfered then--” I cut myself off as my knower starts blaring a warning in my skull.

_Kids. Danger. Charlie. Cold. Edward. Wolf. _

Not wasting any time, I turn to the others and start barking orders. “Rosalie, take Carlisle's license and go to the hospital, any hospital, and get as much blood as you can lay your hands on.” She starts to ask questions, but one look from the Major and she takes off like a shot. “Esme, you stay here, keep the guests from getting suspicious as best you can.” She nods and moves out the door at a human pace. “The rest of you, move. We need to get to the twins before it's too late.”

Without another word, we all take off through the house and towards the woods. I'm glad everyone is listening for the moment. If they were any slower, we would not have made it in time to save them. A few minutes later, our group breaks through the trees into a clearing to see a horrible and mostly unexpected sight.

Edward is clutching a pale, feebly struggling Charlie to his mouth, obviously draining the poor man dry. Isaiah is stunned, not knowing which way to turn. Towards his dying father in the hell-bent vampire's grasp. Or the wolf trying to get to them from the edge of the clearing adjacent us. Or even worse, his sister kneeling on the ground with blood leaking from her nose.

A feral, animalistic growl reverberates through the air as the Major surges forward to defend his mate. Before he can reach her, however, she screams bloody murder and Edward flies back away from her father, causing the middle aged man to crumple to the ground in an unmoving heap.

Isaiah snaps out of his stupor and looks around in a panic. Seeing all of us, he stands between Isabella and the rest of us. This is the wrong thing to do, though. The Major only sees a threat, an obstacle between himself and his mate. Snarling incoherently, he makes to get rid of the impediment. Just as his hand will reach the boy, it skates off something unseen.

“I won't let you hurt her!” Isaiah states defiantly. “So just go away!”

Alice races to her mate's side to protect him. Or, at least, she tries to. A few feet from him, she is held in place by the same something I noticed all those years ago. As the rest of us move in to assist, we all get stuck like Alice and now the Major. Thankfully, I am close enough to touch Char, so no inner beast to freak out.

“No.” Isaiah whispers. “No, it can't be.” He looks to his twin, still on the ground behind him clutching her skull like it is imploding, and stares in amazement.

Alice, jerking against her bonds to get to her mate, growls in frustration. “Zaya, what are you going on about? What the heck is this? Why can't we move?”

Isaiah continues staring at Bella. “Could it be possible she's controlling her shield?”

Everyone stops struggling at his words. All except Char and I. We know to stay still when this happens. The last and only time we struggled against it, it tightened and tightened until we could move no more, nearly crushing us.

Carlisle, in a soothing tone, asks the boy, “Isaiah, what do you mean by her shield? Is that what's holding us back from helping the both of you?”

The kid looks to the Cullen patriarch in a confused daze. Shaking is head, he focuses on everyone around him. “Help us? You're not here to... kill us?”

The Major snarls, as does Alice.

“Why the hell would we be here to kill ya, boy? That's obviously what Doucheward is here for.” I point to the immobile, prone form of the stunned vampire under a pile of trees.

“But... Every other vampire we've met has--” He cuts himself off. “You're really not here to hurt us?”

“Zaya, sweetie, we came here because Peter said the two of you were in trouble. We already knew one or both of you were gifted. But right now, we need to help your sister. She's bleeding really badly.”

Carlisle leans as close as he can toward the girl still on the ground. “From what I can see, this must be what Eleazar said was 'burn out'. If that is the case, then she will have to be turned immediately.”

Isaiah shakes his head. “No, she'll be fine. This has happened before. She just needs... um...”

“Blood.” I say point blank.

Gasps ring out all around. Emmett is the only one to speak after a few seconds. “Blood? A human can't drink blood. Can they, Carlisle?”

The doctor thinks for a moment. “Technically, a human, depending on their size and constitution, can ingest a certain amount of blood without rejecting it. It could be possible, but why would she need such a thing?” _Oh, god, he's in research mode. Not the time, Cullen!_

“STOP IGNORING ME!” A whiny, crackling voice screeches over the good doctor. We all look up in time to see Edward, cracked but healing, crawl out of the trees and regain his footing. He points a long, angry finger at the twins. “I don't know what happened, but I will feast on your blood, you worthless trash.”

Bella stops clutching her head, her hands falling to her knees limply. Without the obstruction, I can see that not only is there blood leaking from her nose, but her eyes as well. The teen stands up shakily and faces the threat before her. Raising her head, she glares at the pansy ass jerk before her.

**The Major POV**

I have to get to her. She's in danger! Why can't I move?

I can see my mate right in front of me. She's so close, only a few feet away. I can smell her precious blood on the wind. She's hurt. She's hurt and I'm not there to protect her. There's a male in my way. But I can't reach him either. Something is there. Something keeping me from ripping him apart for keeping me from my mate. I growl out my frustration and try once more to reach my mate.

The thing holding me tightens. Tightens and tightens the more I move, the more I struggle. Soon, I can't move. I can't reach her. I can't get to her. I'm stuck. I'm useless. I can't protect her. I can't protect the only thing I need to survive.

“No.” The male whispers, turning to my mate. “No, it can't be.”

Words are said around me. Words I don't hear. I don't care. I just need my mate. The smell of her blood is getting stronger. She's hurting, I have to help her.

“... shield?”

Shield? What shield? Is that what stops me? Can I break it now I know what it is? I try, but I fail. I try again, and fail. The shield tightens on me, and I feel something crack. I ignore the pain. My mate is in pain and I can't help her. I deserve the pain. I accept it.

“She just needs...”

“Blood.”

My mate needs blood? I'll get her blood. I'll get her as much blood as she needs. I just need to get free. But I can't struggle any more. I can't bash and claw. I can't move. The shield is too tight. The pain is worse and steady now, but I don't care. My mate needs. I need to help my mate.

Unable to roar my displeasure, I whimper as more words flow around me. But all that comes to mind are thoughts of my mate. She's hurt. She's in pain. I can't protect her. I need to help her. She's... scared?

A faint flickering of emotion registers on the periphery of my fear and rage soaked mind.

My mate is scared. And sad. And angry. No. That's wrong.

My mate is ENRAGED! I feel it, not with my power, but through our unsealed bond. I feel it burning in my chest, burning like a thousands suns. Someone dares to threaten my mate. Dares to threaten what is hers!

My eyes move over my mate, still kneeling on the ground. As I watch, I see her rise and glare at something in front of her. I can turn my head, so I do. There is the threat. The bastard should die. Edward, I think. Don't care, die!

My mate lifts her hands. She looks like she's holding something. Like she's... squeezing something? The blood tears run down her face and yet more blood leaks from her nose. I hate it. I NEED to take the pain away. What is she doing? What is she doing?

Her hands grasp the air. I turn to the threat. He's held in the shield. The shield is her shield. My mate has a shield. She can protect. She is protecting. She is... holding me here? I try to move. I try to get to her. I can't. I feel again. That same burning in my chest. Anger, sorrow, love, hatred, rage, murderous intent. My mate wants to kill him. I want to help my mate.

She looks at me. She looks at me with the blood dripping down her face. I want to help her. I want to kill, rip, tear the threat until it's no more. I focus on my chest and my mate. I push the feelings through.

She cocks her head and smiles at me. I love that smile. It's dark, and bloody. The shield loosens on me. I am free? I test my field of motion. I can move. I can kill. I can protect. I smile at my mate.

I lunge at the pinned down man. He can't move. I laugh. I laugh as I pull him apart and show my mate his head. He can't hurt her. He can't threaten hers. Ours. Mine! He is no more. I throw my lighter on him. He burns as I approach my mate.

The blood on her face is still flowing. She is still hurt. I hold her. I lick the blood away. I purr. She needs comfort. She's still angry. I feel it. My chest aches. I look around for another threat.

Wolf. Big wolf. I look at my mate. She's looking at the wolf. She growls. Cute. My mate is cute. She glares at the wolf. Blood comes faster. I glare at my mate. She hurts herself. Not acceptable.

Voices are rising and falling around us. We don't care. We don't hear. I can _see_ the shield tighten on the wolf. It whines. I hear cracking. It passes out. My mate stops. She doesn't want to kill. I kill? I look at my mate. No, don't kill. Threat has stopped.

My mate is tired. My mate is hurt. She turns back to me. Her face is nestled on my chest. My mate goes limp. Defenseless. Protect mate!

I _feel _someone approach. It is concerned. It looks like my mate. Not my mate. My mate is hurt. I lower her down to the ground. I crouch over her. Protect MINE! Voices are speaking. I don't care. Protect. Hurt. I growl and snarl. They stay back. Good. Protect.

I see my Captain. Lieutenant. They can help. They help protect mine.

Captain is submissive. “Major. We want to help. We can help her. She'll be fine if you let us help, Major.”

I growl when he comes closer. Then I smell more blood. Not mate's. Other. Lieutenant brings it closer. Lieutenant kneels down and holds it out to me.

My mate needs blood. I take it. I give it to my mate. She won't drink. She can't. I take it in my mouth. My instincts howl, but my mate needs. I provide. Sealing my lips on hers, I push the blood into her mouth. I make sure she swallows. I repeat until there's no more blood. My mate still sleeps. She looks better. She doesn't bleed. She starts to stir. I purr. She drifts off again.

I feel another approach. Not the Captain. Not the Lieutenant. Another. Not safe. I grab my mate, snarling. I jump away. To the trees. Safe distance. It backs off.

Captain speaks. “Major, it's okay. He's her brother. He's just concerned for her. They don't like to be apart.” I growl at this. My mate needs ME, not him. “You don't wanna hurt your mate, right?”

Hurt my mate? Would it hurt her to take her from here? From the male? She stirs in my arms again. Her eyes meet mine. She looks at the male. She smiles. I would hurt her to take her? She needs him? Not just me? I'm her mate. Me. Not him!

She looks to me. She smiles. Rubs her face into my chest and hums. Does she try to purr? Cute. My mate is cute. And mine. But not just mine. Needs him, the male. Must stay. Must not hurt her. I sit. Take my mate in my lap. The other comes closer. I can't stop the growl. It is small, but still.

The male takes her hand. Tells her her father is hurt. Tells her she'll be okay. She'll be happy. My mate _will_ be happy. With me. Her mate. I am hers. She is mine. We are whole. We are safe.


	18. Road Trip

**Jasper POV**

Bella is still asleep. She hasn't woken up in three days. Carlisle checked to make sure she isn't changing. Not that that would be possible without venom introduced to the bloodstream, but we don't know what else to expect. Isaiah isn't much help. He only kept repeating that she'll wake up when she's ready. I don't get it, but it doesn't matter. For now, I'll stay right by her side until she wakes. I only hope that it will be soon.

I hear the conversation being held downstairs. Everyone is discussing what to do next. Possible plans for the future. Now that we'll have a new born or two soon, we may have to leave Forks. Maybe go stay with our cousins in Denali, Alaska. They haven't decided on anything, because I am not there to cast my vote. But of course, no one is asking me anything. They are all too wary of The Major to approach. So far, only Isaiah- though I have not seen him in days- and Carlisle are allowed in. I can't seem to let anyone else get too close.

“But with a newborn already in the process of waking up, won't it be hard to move? I mean, even if Bella and Jasper were up for the journey, won't it be difficult?” Rose asks.

Carlisle sighs in frustration. There's a lot of that going around lately. “Yes, Rose. It does pose an issue. However, we cannot risk the surrounding populace by keeping a newborn so close at such an early age.”

“If only he had super self control like you, huh, Pops?” Emmett jokes.

“Thank you for the compliment, Em, but I don't have 'super self control'. The control I have came from long years of practice.”

“Yeah, okay, Pops. Whatever you say. So what are going to do? He'll be waking up today, maybe tomorrow morning at the latest. And he'll be hungry.” I can feel the worry coming from the others as Emmett speaks.

Esme suggests, “Do you suppose we could all restrain him? Shepherd him to Denali, maybe? We could try. At the very least, we could get him into one of the many nature reserves in the Canadian wilderness.”

I stop listening after this. Bella shifts next to me. This is the first time in days that she has moved a muscle on her own. I have shifted her to different positions so she won't wake up sore.

She yawns and stretches. _God, it's good to just see her move after three days._ Joints pop and settle as she stretches. Settling back to the covers, she opens her eyes. “Hey, cowboy.” She says, her voice raspy with sleep.

I feel venom tears fill my eyes. Hugging her close, I nuzzle her neck to hide my face. Fat lot of good that does me.

“Jasper? What's wrong? Is everyone okay? Why are you so upset?” She asks, getting slightly more panicked as she goes along.

_Seriously? That's what she asks. Is everyone okay?_ My mate can go from a little burning spitfire to a docile, compassionate woman in the blink, apparently. “Darlin', do you remember what happened on Friday evening? Can you tell me that?”

Her brow crinkles, creating a soft little v between her eyes. I kiss it just because I can. “Friday? What do you mean? What's today? How long have I been asleep?” She struggles to sit up, so I help her, but I make sure she stays in bed.

“Please just answer my questions, darlin'. I promise I will tell you whatever you wanna know, just answer me first, alright?”

She thinks for a moment. “We were... at the party you all threw for me and Isaiah. Izzy was acting weird, but he didn't want to talk about it, so I let it go.” I nod to encourage her. “We blew out the candles. When we looked up there was... Peter and Charlotte! Are they still here?” She exclaims.

I nuzzle her neck and nod. “Yes, darlin', they are. Please go on.”

She relaxes into me. “They said they would talk to us after the party. I was talking to one of our executives. I don't remember what about. But I saw... Oh My God! Dad! Dad was hurt! Please tell me he's okay, Jasper!” She grabs my shirt and holds on tight.

My jaw clenches as I look into her pleading eyes. How the hell do I break this news to her? How do I tell her that her father is--

A commotion breaks out downstairs. A lot of yelling and crashing. Darting from the bed, I go to the door to peer out. I don't see anything, but now I don't hear anything either.

I feel Bella come up behind me. She wraps an arm around my waist, tucking her hand into my back pocket, she peeks around me. Another crash comes from downstairs. More yelling, but lower this time. They aren't angry. Upset, but not angry. As well as cautious.

_Could he have woken up already? _The newborn should have had at least a few more hours to go. I turn to Bella.

“Bella, I need you to stay here. Okay?” I frame her face with my hands and look into her eyes. “It's not safe down there for you, alright. If the newborn gets to you, then it dies. I know you won't want that, darlin', so. Stay. Here.” I emphasize my words succinctly to get my order across.

She nods reluctantly and backs into the room.

Nodding, I take off down the stairs, ready to subdue the newborn if necessary. It's odd, though. I don't feel the normal newborn emotions. I do feel confusion. Frustration. Irritation. But no anger. No rage. No overwhelming thirst. It's like it's not a newborn, at all.

Skidding to a halt in the den, I take in the sight before me. Carlisle and Peter are blocking the exit at the window. Emmett the door. Esme, Charlotte and Rosalie are doing their best to calm the confused newborn in the middle of the room. The couch at the new vampire's feet looks to be crushed. He was also wearing newly ripped jeans.

“Hey, Jasper.” The newborn says calmly. “Would you mind telling everyone that I didn't mean to break the sofa. Or my pants. They don't seem to believe me.”

_Huh? How the heck is he so rational? Newborns aren't rational. _“Uh, yeah. Sure. Would you mind sitting down first though? It would put everyone at ease a little.” He does as I say and sits down in an armchair, peering around at the wary faces surrounding him. I motion for everyone to relax their positions. Peter and Charlotte follow orders, but the other's are still tense. I send them a look, and they relax a little.

“Great! That's better.” _How the hell is he able to sit there so calmly without me controlling him?_ “Now can someone explain to me what the heck is going on? The last I remember, Edward was threatening us and Paul was trying to help.”

“Uh...” Emmett stammers. “Well, turns out Bella-bear has a bit of a badass side and killed him. Edward, I mean. Paul is healing on the reservation under guard.”

The newborn nods his understanding. “Sounds about right.” He murmurs. Then, “Wait! Bella what?” He exclaims. When he sees everyone crouch and ready themselves around him, he automatically calms himself down. “Sorry, sorry. Just... well, what do you mean, Bella has a badass side? She's, well, Isabella.”

“Daddy?” A quiet voice says from behind me. _How the hell did I not feel her approach? Oh right, the damn shield. Activates whenever she damn well pleases. Great!_

“Bella, I asked you stay upstairs!” I reprimand her. But she ain't havin' that shit.

“No, you told me to. But I got worried when you didn't come back.” She snaps. She's never snapped at anyone of us before. She leans around me again to address her father. “Daddy, is that you?”

The now newborn Charlie rises from his seat. I growl and he freezes. “Hey, baby girl. You okay?”

“Am I okay? Edward, he--” She chokes on her words with a sob. I reach for her, wanting to comfort her and shield her from the danger at the same time. Instead of allowing me, she pushes around me and runs to her dad.

Scared spitless, I rush after her, but Charlie gets there first.

**Isaiah POV**

They know now. They don't just suspect, they know. The relief I feel in my soul cannot be compared to anything. They don't want to hurt us. They don't want to cage us and use us for their own gain. Alice won't have to choose. We won't have to face leaving our father. We can keep on living this real life fairy tale we've found ourselves in.

I lay in bed, cuddling Alice close to me, unwilling to disturb the peace I have right here. For three days, I've waited for my sister and father to wake up. One will definitely wake tonight or in the morning. The other will wake when she's ready. I know this frustrates Jasper, or The Major, whoever he is, but there is no set time for her to wake. The last time this happened, it took Bella a week to wake. It can be anywhere from a few hours to a few days, but so long as she gets some blood, she will wake.

“What are you thinking about?” Alice asks quietly.

I kiss the top of her head. “My sister.”

She smiles up at me. “She'll be fine. Or do you not believe yourself when you tell Jasper that.”

“Oh, no. I know she'll be fine. I'm just happy for her, for us, is all.”

She sits up next to me on top of the covers. “What do you mean? And while we're at it, why would you ever think that any of us would kill you two?”

_Ah, goodbye peace. _It's been three days, and I've been able to avoid this topic until now. I see no way out, so I reply. “Since we were toddlers, Izzy has had that ability. That shield. She can't really control it unless it's something like the other day. A few times, after we turned seven years old, random vampires would show up trying to either kill us or capture us. The first time, Peter and Charlotte found us and saved us. But once they left, we had to fend them off on our own.” I frown at a memory. “Let's just say, that for a year or so there, I was pretty anemic until I found another source to get blood from.”

“You were... hunted by vampires?” She sounds disbelieving. “And you gave your sister your own blood? Why not animal blood? Surely that would be easier! And what about contacting Peter and Charlotte? They would have come to help you. They said they checked in on you two several times over the years.”

I tackle her needless concerns one at a time. “Firstly, animal blood does not help her. It only makes her sicker. And secondly, we tried contacting Peter and Charlotte. After the first three times getting caught by Renee and beaten to within an inch of our lives, we gave up. It wasn't worth dying over, since all we were trying to do was survive. Besides,” I shrug, “we made it out alive alright.”

Ali sits quietly for a bit, soaking up what I've told her. “Why would you think _we_ would hurt or kill you, though?” She asks brokenly.

I sit up next to her and frame her face in my hands. “Ali-girl, I never for a moment thought that _you_ would hurt us. But Jasper and the rest, well, they were a different story. What was there to make me believe differently about them. Sure, Jasper would never lay a finger on Bella, but me? I don't mean anything to him. And, yeah, I love the rest of the family, but who's to say they feel the same.”

I feel a pinch on my side. Startled, I jump away from her. She glares at me. “Don't you even, Isaiah Mark Swan. Don't you even think something like that. We would _never_ hurt you or your sister! Do you hear me? Tell me you understand!”

I nod sadly. “I get that now, Alice. I do. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I doubted you all. I've just never... had anything like this before. It's always been me and Izzy. Just the two of us watching out for each other. We've never let anyone else close. Not even Peter and Charlotte, and we owe them our lives and love them like family. But we never truly trusted them.” I hate the tears rushing down my face. “I'm so sorry, Ali. I'm sorry for being selfish. Can you forgive me?”

Her eyes soften instantly. Framing my face with her hands she kisses me tenderly on the lips and starts to speak. Before a syllable leaves her lips, her eyes unfocus and she gets sucked into a vision. I patiently wait for her to come back to herself. I already can tell she forgives me.

When she comes back to herself, she grabs my hands and begins to drag me off the bed. “Come on, Zaya, your sister is awake. And Charlie, too. And he's so much better than even I could have anticipated.”

I freeze at the foot of the bed. “Wait, Alice, I don't have a shirt on.”

She stops and looks back at me. Her eyes heat up when she takes in my bare chest. “Do you really need to put one on?” I just look at her until she huffs out. “Fine, but you owe me, okay?” She darts into her closet and returns a moment later with a men's button down shirt. At my quirked brow, she shakes her head. “Oh, shush, you. I like wearing these on cleaning day. Easy to move in.” She looks at her feet. I think she'd be blushing right now if she were human.

Smiling, I take the shirt and shrug it on. Buttoning it all the way to my neck, I follow her out of the room. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs together, we look on the scene in the living room with concern. Everyone is crouched and ready to attack, but in the middle of the room stands my dad holding Bella tight to him. To everyone else, I guess it looks like he's draining her, but I know he's just hugging her. And so does Jasper, apparently. He stands shocked and frozen a few feet away from my sister and father, looking like he can't believe what he is seeing.

Ali-girl skips forward without a care after a second. “Don't worry, guys. He'll be fine. He's not exactly a normal newborn. He's going to be really controlled. Almost as well as Carlisle.” She states matter-of-factly.

Jasper relaxes only enough to let his arms drop to his sides limply. He still looks rather tense. He must want to rip Bella away from Charlie so bad. But he doesn't realize yet that nothing can hurt Bella with the way her shield works. Except Renee. But we have our own suspicions there.

Charlie looks up, sees me, and holds out an arm. Shifting Bella to the side, he folds me into his hug as I approach, slowly like Jasper warned me to do. He smells like a vampire now, but he still smells like my dad. Fresh pine and salt breeze.

Breaking the contact after a minute, I pull away and stand next to Alice. Bella does the same, going to stand by Jasper, who promptly pulls her behind him, plastering her to his back. I roll my eyes at this. He is just as protective as my twin is.

Bella wriggles out of his grasp easily though. He grumbles a little, but simply keeps a hold of one of her hands as she asks, “So can anyone tell me what exactly happened after I passed out?”

No one speaks. They don't know what happens when Bella loses control like that. She never really remembers what happens, only vague feelings.

“Darlin', you don't need to worry about that. It's over and--” The look she gives him could have set ice on fire. He shuts up real quick.

Peter busts out laughing across the room. “Yeah, no, Major. That shit don't fly. Little girl don't take that from anyone.”

Bella looks expectantly around the room, finally settling on me.

Grin at her. “2001, sis.”

She gasps. “Was it really _that_ bad? I didn't seriously hurt any of you, did I?” She gives everyone an appraising look.

I can't help but to laugh. “Nah. And you know you wouldn't anyways. But you did get rid of the problems, so all in all, we're good. I mean, you saved Dad from getting eaten like a snack-pack."

Emmett tries to make light of the situation. “It was awesome, Bellzy-bub. You made a wusspire bonfire and nearly created a perfect fur-face pancake.” Her face blanches at his words, making him laugh harder. “Seriously, girly, where've you been hiding it?However, your beastie over there helped out a lot. I swear, it could have made the cut for horror film of the year, hands down.”

She looks aghast around the room and then groans into Jasper's neck. We all laugh heartily.

**{-F-E-A-}**

A few hours later, we are all gathered in the family room to decide on the our plans for the coming month. Whether we will be going to Denali sooner rather than later, more or less.

“I think now that we know Charlie won't be a big problem in the interim, we can take our time going to Denali.” Carlisle states. “Though, with what happened with young Paul, I'm afraid the sooner we go, the better.”

“Bitch deserved it!” I mutter, forgetting that every person in the room besides Izzy and I has supernatural hearing.

“Isaiah, language.” Charlie- who is standing behind the couch I'm on- frowns at me, but he winks, negating the effect of his 'parenting.'

_Seriously, what kind of hellions would we have turned out to be if we had been raised by this man?_ “Sorry, Dad. Didn't mean for that to be heard, exactly. Shall I go get the soap?” I jokingly start to rise from the couch.

Before I can move more than a few inches, I feel myself being yanked unceremoniously back onto the couch. My head somehow lands in Alice's lap. Laying face up, I stare up at my girl for a startled moment. Then I laugh and pretend to snuggle in.

“Thanks, Dad. I think I'll stay right here, then.” Alice runs her fingers through my hair, making me melt like butter.

Dad sticks his hands gently in his new jeans. “I think Charlie is gonna keep his hands to himself for the next while.”

We all laugh before Carlisle brings us back to topic. “Alright, alright. So how about some time next week? Do you all think you can tie up any loose ends in that time?”

We all agree and move on to packing and moving plans. What to take, what not to take. Bella and I don't really have anything that can't be lost. Just our hoodie and our laptops. I know Alice will have a blast replacing any clothes we have to leave behind, so no big loss there.

Peter clears his throat unnecessarily. “What about faking the deaths of the Swans?”

We all stop mid-conversation. Fake our deaths? Why? I ask them this.

Esme turns to me with a kind smile. “Well, it's to keep anyone from your past from looking for you. If they were to crop up in ten or so years and you don't look much changed, then that can cause a problem.”

I roll my eyes at the overkill, no pun intended. “Guys, no need to go that far. Bella and I don't really know all that many people and Charlie can just say he's taking early retirement.”

“But I would have to go into the station to file. I don't exactly look like me, son.” I take a closer look at my father. True, his hair was thicker, his skin smoother and paler, and he stood straighter. But other than that, he still has the very slight graying at his temples. His five o'clock shadow still stubble's his upper lip and jaw. And though his skin is pale and smooth, it still has a hint of the swarthy fisherman's look to it. He was still Charlie, my father.

I shrug as Bella says from Jasper's lap. “Dad, don't worry about going in. Isaiah and I can take care of the paper work for you. Do you know how many documents we've had to forge over the years?”

Charlie looks at us almost cross eyed in his bewilderment. “Why would you forge papers?” he blusters.

“Jeez, calm down, Dad. Your gonna give yourself an imaginary coronary.” Bella sasses, a grin spreading on her face. “Remember me and Isaiah didn't know our own birthday? We had to register for school and other, business licenses and other things somehow.”

“Wait! Business license? Multiple? When the hell did this come about?” Dad is getting more and more worked up. Just when I think he might break something, he suddenly gets really mellow. It's kind of disturbing.

Looking over at Jasper, he's focusing on Charlie, calming him so he doesn't lose it with us humans around.

“Thank you, Jasper.” Charlie says gruffly. “I think for now, we should move on from this topic. You two do what you need to do, just leave me out of it for now.”

I nod and grab my laptop from my bag at Alice's feet. I set to work and let the conversation flow around me. By the time I'm done screening and filing the paper work, it has been decided that we will leave this coming Friday around midnight. Under cover of night and all that spy crap. Shutting the laptop and tucking it away, I snuggle in for real this time and let myself drift off.

I can't help the smile that stays on my face as I drift off to sleep with Alice's fingers carding through my shaggy hair. I woke up Friday morning after two hours of sleep with the notion of leaving this family, my family, behind. Now, three days later, I have my sister, my father, and my girl, but also an entire family of people that care about one another. We aren't perfect. We probably aren't sane. But who the hell is? All that matters is that they are mine.

**{-F-E-A-}**

**Bella POV**

_6 Hours on the road to Denali..._

“Jesus H. Christ!” Emmett shouts as he climbs out of the moving van to fill up the gas. “That guy doesn't stop!”

I smile ruefully. “Well, it is kind of your fault, Em. If you hadn't kept getting sidetracked, you would still be riding with Rose. I warned you two stops back that Izzy gets really grumpy when in a car for too long.” This big bear of a man had kept falling behind our caravan of four vehicles because he was playing -ahem- car games with his mate.

It would have been only three vehicles, but Dad wanted to ride in Emmett's big open jeep, so we made it four. He rode with me and Jasper, constantly having to be told to sit back down like a little kid. It was hilarious.

“Grumpy is one thing, but this is a whole other pickle, damn it! He finds the tiniest thing to bitch about.” Emmett grouses.

Isaiah hops out of the cab and heads towards the little truck stop we are at. Probably to grab a snack or use the toilet. I see Alice break off from the group to follow. Smiling, I turn back to the pump as the trigger lets me know it's done filling. Peeking in the direction I saw the two disappearing, I see it is completely opposite the restrooms. _Whatever, so long as they're back before we take off again._

I jump as I feel cold, hard arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me into an equally cold, hard body. One that I love. “Penny for your thoughts, darlin'?”

I smile up at my cowboy and nod in my brother's general direction. “Just noting we're down one... or two family members for the moment.” I turn back to the pump to complete the transaction. I nearly press the wrong button when I feel his hand brush my hair to the side and he skates his cool, marble lips up and down my throat. “Ahh...” My body gets a little warmer in the cool evening air and I shiver, but not from the cold.

“It could be down two more for a few minutes, if you want to. We're waiting so the humans can stretch their legs before continuing on.” I tilt my head to the side, giving him better access to my soft, pale flesh. He opens his mouth over my pulse point, sucking gently on the tender vein, making me moan a little louder than I probably should.

“Bella? You okay over there?” Charlie calls from the other end of the parking lot.

_Shit! I forgot my father is here!_

Jasper steps back just in time. Charlie comes flashing around the corner, concern in his eyes. “What's up, baby girl? Are you hurt?”

I love him. I do. But couldn't he have acted just a little oblivious. Jasper chuckles and I give a death glare from behind my curtain of hair.

“It's nothing, Dad. I just hit the wrong button on the key pad and had to back out of the transaction.” It's not a lie. I really did hit the wrong button a minute ago when Jasper kissed me.

Dad nods. “Oh, okay. You should hurry up, though. We should be getting back on the road soon.” With that and a look at Jasper, I know my fib didn't fool him for a minute. He knew what we were doing over here.

“Charlie.” Jasper says, folding his arms. “Human moment, remember? Besides, Isaiah isn't back yet. Maybe you should go find him and hurry him along?” He points in the direction my brother and Alice took off in. “Just remember to hold your breath around the other humans, okay? If you have any problems, come straight back here, no matter how small.”

Grumbling, Charlie does just that. When he disappears around the building, I sag in relief. That was so embarrassing.

Jasper hugs me from behind again, but finishes the transaction for me in a second. “Come on, darlin'. You're gettin' cold. Your parka should be in the Jeep.” Leading me around to the passenger side, he helps me in after sliding my jacket up my arms. He's always looking after me, but he doesn't hover. He isn't overbearing, thank goodness. If he senses I'm getting a little irritated, he backs off and gives me space. He's so perfect sometimes. And a total guy at other times.

Just a few hours before, Emmett challenged him to a road race between the last town and this one. Halfway through, we lost Alice and Carlisle's cars in the distance. Esme phoned Jasper and chewed him out pretty bad for putting her precious daughter- me- in danger like that and to slow his ass down. Yes, she actually said ass. I think the snails were going faster than us after that. Alice called Emmett and gave him what for, as well. This only made Isaiah even more crotchety, though. He was apparently having a blast at high speeds and it was taking his mind of the closed in cab.

**{-F-E-A-}**

_12 Hours on the road to Denali..._

We've swapped cars now since the last stop for gas. The temperature has been steadily dropping, so we humans are riding in the Sedan with Carlisle while the others are split between the other three vehicles. Emmett and Peter in the moving truck, though I still say this is a bad idea. Charlie, Charlotte, Rose and Jasper are in the Jeep. And Alice and Esme are in Alice's sporty little Miata.

At present, Isaiah is sprawled out on the back seat with a blanket half covering him, dead to the world. He's always hated car rides. It's not like he gets car sick or anything. And he's not claustrophobic, either. He just hates being cooped up for hours on end.

Me, I'm in the front seat with Carlisle trying to figure out the best way to bring up the elephant in the car with us. How the heck do you tell a man you are sorry for killing his son? I mean, it's not like he's being unkind at all. He's no different than he usually is. Kind, considerate, thoughtful. The same Carlisle as ever, but I can tell that thoughts of Edward are weighing on him. But I don't know how he feels about my part in his death. Does he blame me? Or my brother or father? What about Jasper, who I have been told did the actual killing?

It's been three hours now since we got back on the road after swapping cars and I still don't know what to say. I can't even look at the man. The guilt is eating me alive, but I don't feel the slightest bit guilty for my part in Edward's demise. I'm glad he's gone. He was a threat to my family. But I do feel bad, beyond bad, for hurting Carlisle in any way. Edward didn't deserve having a father like Carlisle, let alone deserve being changed in the first place. Carlisle didn't deserve to be hurt like that, though. I only wish I could find the words to let him know this without putting my foot in my mouth.

“I don't blame you, Isabella.” Carlisle says gently.

I jump a foot in my seat. “I... uh... but--”

He reaches across the short distance between us and pats me on the head like I'm a small child. And, I guess, to him, I am. “Bella, I don't blame you or anyone else for Edward's death. No, that's not true.”

I wait for the sword to fall, cringing. But only another pat comes my way.

“I blame Edward, and only Edward, for the way his life turned out. And myself, a bit, I suppose.”

“What-- Why would you blame yourself?”

He lets out a heavy sigh and it looks like the weight of the world rests on his shoulders. “I knew when I found him in that hospital in Chicago that he was too young. His chart said seventeen, but they were guessing his age based on his physique and I should have taken that into account. Truth is, many people that were admitted for the influenza at the time had incorrect data on their charts. Many seemingly unneeded details were guessed at and others were simply left out.”

I never knew that. It makes sense, though. During an epidemic, time is essential and every second counts. Little details tend to get lost in the interim, I suppose.

“How old was he, then?” I ask.

“He was fifteen, but looked much older due to his height and such. Much too young to be turned. To turn a child between the ages of thirteen and fifteen can be a fifty fifty affair. Many know the world well enough to be able to function as adults and not be a threat to the human populace. But others,” another sigh heaves his frame, “I have seen it first hand, unfortunately, the effects of a teenage Immortal Child. It is rather uncommon, but it happens. They are not yet mature enough to handle life out in the world, though they know right from wrong. Their baser instincts still rule them. Their need of parental figures, while waning at such an age, stills weighs heavily on them. And for many, the hunger is uncontrollable, much like any Immortal Child. But Edward was a bit... different.”

“How so?” I ask gently. This seems to be a rather difficult subject for him, but I can tell he needs to get this out. “I'm afraid I didn't know him beyond the sparse interactions we had.”

He grimaces at the road before us. “I did not find this out until five years after I changed him, but it seems Edward, while human, never... went through puberty.”

Oh... wow. “I don't understand. How would this affect him as a vampire?”

“Well, for one, the subject of mates.” Ah, I think I'm starting to see. “Edward met his mate some years ago, but due to his... lack, shall we say? He refused her. He cannot feel the pull. And beyond that,” Oh, god. There's more? “Puberty for a human is the stage where the mind matures beyond the childlike innocence and begins to move more toward logical thought processes. Edward did not have this, to an extent. He was quite intelligent. But when it came to common sense, there was no gray area as there are for most, if not all, adults. There was simply the innocent and the guilty. His and theirs. Us and them. He could not reason anything in between. And this effected him greatly.”

“So, Edward thought like a little boy instead of the near adult he was supposed to be?” I wonder out loud. When I realize I spoke my thoughts, I clamp a hand over my mouth and I can feel the blush burning my face.

Carlisle nods sadly, continuing his explanation. “By the time I realized what I had done, Esme was with us. Edward became jealous. Up to this point, he was perfectly capable of controlling his thirst, after a fashion. But when he thought he was losing his new 'father' to a, then, stranger, he decided to... rebel. For ten years he fed from humans, from those he considered the lowest of the scum. Acting as judge, jury, and executioner. Still operating on the childish black and white scale. Even first time offenders were on his list. He did not see a difference. When he realized that Esme would not be leaving, he came home, of course. He started to see her as his new 'mother'. Building the family his prepubescent, fifteen year old mind craved. And we let him. Esme has always wanted children and Edward was not harming anyone.

“But then he began to hold things over us. He was a mind reader, as you no doubt know. When he thought he could get away with it, he would pick information out of my or Esme's mind and lord it over us. Blackmail, if you will. I had nothing to be ashamed of, but Esme's human life was... less than perfect. What Edward saw as indiscretions was actually memories of her abusive human husband. She did not, and still does not, want me to know all of the details, and I don't push her. The one time Edward tried to blackmail her with this information, I took him to task. But the damage was done. He knew what he could, and could not, get away with. And like any child, he toed the line to within an inch of his life.”

This really explains a lot. Why the guy could get it through his thick skull that Isaiah and I weren't there to steal his place in the family. Why he was always so belligerent towards us. And why he always threw a fit when I had a conversation with someone out of earshot of him and he couldn't know what was said. So many things explained.

“But I still don't understand. Why don't you blame me for his death? However immature he may have been, he was still your son. And I--” I'm interrupted by Carlisle's cold hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. Oddly, I don't flinch at his grip. Seems I'm getting better at dealing with normal human interactions.

“Bella, you protected all of us. Yes, I wish that there could have been another solution. But I know that Edward would not have stopped this time. Too many changes had taken place in his 'perfect' family. He snapped, part of it being my fault. But his death was necessary, however much it hurt me. But let me tell you something, little one.” He turns me to face him as we pull into the next gas station to fill up. “Losing you and your father and brother would have destroyed this family. Edward was a small price to pay to have the family together like it is. And no matter what happens in the future, no matter where life takes any one of us, we will always be family. I may grieve for a time over the loss of a son that was nothing but trouble, but I will rejoice every day of my eternal life for the people I call my own. And I have you to thank for that. And I do thank you. From the bottom of my unbeating heart.”

Tears spill over as I see the sincerity of his words in his eyes. Gently, he pulls me into a hug, making sure to leave me room to get out of it, though now I know that is unnecessary. I hug him back and let the tears fall, happy beyond anything that he doesn't hate me.

**Carlisle POV**

Letting Bella go, I watch her climb out of the car- her face still flushed with her tears- and she makes her way over to Jasper's side. I know she blamed herself for Edward's fate. But I hope what I said reassured her otherwise. I meant every word of it. I am sad to see my first companion/son end in such a way, but I am also relieved. No longer do I need to track his every move and treat him like a child. While they are not technically children, my other 'children' are capable of thinking for themselves. These thoughts do create a bit of guilt, but my relief quickly pushes it to the side.

I climb out of the car and begin to pump the gas, making sure not to breathe. The overwhelming stench of gasoline can really mess with a vampire's nose.

I feel my love approaching. Turning, I wrap my arm around her, pulling her in for a quick, chaste kiss. _Oh, how I wish we could be alone. Just for a bit. Okay, for a few days... weeks... months, definitely._

She grins up at me, knowing exactly what I am thinking. “Soon, my love.” She purrs in my ear. “Have patience.”

I let a rumble build in my chest, knowing it will coax a laugh from her. “Not soon enough.”

Isaiah leaps out of the back of the car on the opposite side from us, marching off. As he walks away, I hear him mumble under his breath. “I need to bleach my brain. Did not need that image, thank you very much.”

Esme and I chuckle at his retreating back. Sadly, he'll have to get used this when he is turned. There is always an adjustment period, a rather uncomfortable one, but one gets over their qualms after a time.

“Why are you blank now, too, Carlisle?” Alice asks, flashing to my side.

“What do you mean, Alice? Do you mean your visions? What's wrong?” Esme, ever the worrier.

She huffs, mildly irritated. “Used to be, only the twins are blurry in my visions. But ever since Bella woke up last Monday, _everyone_ has been a blank. Except you. You're clear as day one minute, then a blur the next. Now you're just as bad as the others. The whole family's future is a blank. What the heck did you do?”

Esme tries to calm her. “Now dear, I'm sure it's just one of those things. You know, when everything is up in the air and a clear decision hasn't been made? Perhaps it's something like that.”

Alice shakes her head, looking defeated. “No, that's not it. We made a concise decision to go to Denali. All of us, even Carlisle. At first, I could see him standing in front of Eleazar surrounded by a large, blurred out, filmy version of the family. But now, it's gone. I can't see anyone's decisions.” She looks at her feet. “I mean, it's not like I need to know every little thing that will happen, and I'm sure this sounds horrible of me. But to not see everyone's future, to just have it go black all of sudden--” She hiccups, and I can tell she is trying not to cry as she looks up at us. “Carlisle, that usually means the subject of my vision is dead. What do I do? What decision did you make? I'm so scared.”

I have no idea how to comfort her, to reassure her that all is well. I don't recall making a decision that could remotely lead to the death of the entire family. I was only reassuring Bella that I don't blame her in the slightest for Edward's death. How could that have led to the entire coven's future going black?

Isaiah appears beside Alice and it is a testament to how lost I was in my thoughts that I did not see him come up to us.

“Ali, don't panic. I think I know why this is happening. Don't cry.” He pulls her to him, rubbing her back in small, soothing circles until she calms a little. By now, everyone except Jasper and Bella has gathered around. “You said that Izzy and I have always been blurry right? And I think you mentioned once that you can't see our decisions directly?”

Alice nods, looking up at him. “Yeah. You two have always been nearly blank. I just learned to _see _around you by looking for another's decision concerning you.”

Isaiah nods, as though expecting this. “Try something for me, will you? I think this will confirm my theory.” She nods and he tells her, “Try looking into one of the Denali coven member's futures. You mentioned someone called Eleazar greeting us? Try _seeing_ him, okay?”

Alice closes her eyes and is still for a moment. A few minutes later she gasps and exclaims, “Oh my God!”

Peter grins at my daughter, obviously already aware of what she would have seen. Charlotte elbows him in the stomach before he can make comment. “What didja see, Alice?” She asks.

“Us. Still blurry. One part that is off to the side is so blurry it physically hurts to look at it, but we're there. Eleazar will meet us outside our house when we arrive. His family and mate will come by later so as not to overwhelm the twins.” Alice looks up at her mate and asks, “What's happening, Zaya? What is messing with my visions?”

He looks around at us, happiness shining in his eyes. Grinning, he explains. “It's Bella's shield. She's covering each and every one of us.”

“What?” This is not good. If she uses her gift to such an extent, she could die. “Isaiah, why would she do this? We should tell her to--”

The young man cuts me off, raising his free hand to stop me. “Carlisle, you misunderstand. This is not something she consciously controls. It's instinct. As her energy crests and wanes, the shield will strengthen and weaken. Sometimes dropping entirely. And sometimes, though this one is rare, completely holding you still. She doesn't do this with a conscious thought. Her shield is protecting you all, thereby protecting her.”

Esme raises a hand to her throat. “But why would this happen now? Before it was only the two of you, correct? So why would the effects be spreading?”

“Actually, Esme,” Alice says, “It went from only being the twins, to being the twins plus... Jasper.” Realization dawns on all of our faces. “Then it was Bella, Zaya, Jasper, and me. Then Emmett and Rose were going in and out for a short time before settling into the blur. Then Esme and Carlisle got patchy. Charlie, Peter, and Char seem to always have been covered. But after their birthday party, Carlisle was wavering again.”

“Why would that happen?” I ask, genuinely miffed.

Isaiah smiles up at me. “Because, Carlisle, Bella thought you would hate her for what she did to Edward. I guess her shield didn't know what to do. Protect you, or don't protect you. Now, the decision has been made, however subconsciously.” He looks at all of us and says, “It used to be only me and her. Now, we have family. We are hers. She protects what's hers, damn the consequences. And nothing takes what's hers from her. You all saw what happens when someone tries.”

We are all silent for a long time, letting this revelation sink in. So Bella, because of what I said, sees me as hers to protect. Sees all of us this way. It's odd, the thought of such a small, frail human protecting nearly indestructible vampires. It's also heartwarming to have evidence of the fact that she loves us all as a family. Such a damaged, scared girl, coming out of her shell and living amongst us. I smile at the thought.

“Hey, guys!” We all come out of our thoughts at the sound of Bella's voice as she calls out to us. Coming up to our group, she asks, “What's up? Is something wrong?”

Jasper drapes his arm over her shoulders lightly. I can tell he's testing the mood surrounding us. He zeroes in on Alice. “Ali, what's eatin' ya?”

She smiles at Bella, though I can see a little bit of strain in her eyes. “It's nothing that can't be worked around for now. Don't worry.”

I can tell Isaiah is glad she didn't tell his sister about the problems her ability is causing. So am I, truth be told. The young girl isn't even aware she is doing it. There's no reason to make her feel guilty over something she can't even control. As the conversation flows around me, I let my mind wander as it will. We won't be getting back on the road for at least twenty minutes. It's not good for a human to stay cramped up for so long without breaks.

Thinking of human needs, I hear the twins' stomachs growl loudly just as I catch sight of the golden arches across the street from our gas station. Leaving Peter and Charlotte to go hunt up some criminal offenders, the rest of us approach the McDonald's to get the humans a meal. If it can actually be call that. While they order, we vampires sit out in the terrace dining area to avoid the nauseating smell, for the most part.

Soon, after the twins have eaten their grilled chicken sandwiches, we are all back on the road. This time, Isaiah and Isabella are asleep in the backseat of my Sedan together. Looking back at them, I can't help but smile. They may have been through hell most of their life, but they can still sleep the sleep of the innocent.


	19. Denali

**Alice POV**

We pull up to our large house on the banks of Lake Minchumina. Parking my car carefully away from the others in the large garage we keep at many of our homes, I climb out and quickly find Zaya. He's helping his sister out of the car. For the past few hours, she's had a small temperature. It's not bad and she's taken medicine for it. Jasper comes and takes Bella from her brother and wraps his own jacket around her. It is only mid-October and the chilling cold here can be brutal to a human.

Isaiah wraps his arms around me, kissing the tip of my nose. "You cannot imagine how glad I am to be out of that damn car." I smile up at him. The whole trip he did his level best not to be a grouch. He was in a surly mood to everyone but me and his sister.

"Ah! Carlisle, my old friend!" Eleazar comes down the steps at the front of he house to greet us, just as I saw in my vision. "It is so good to see you after so long."

The two men embrace for a second then turn to the rest of us. "Eleazar, allow me to introduce you to our newest family members." He gestures to each as he introduces them. "This here is Charlie Swan, a newborn, though he does not act like it in the remotest." The two shake hands. "Next we have Isabella Swan, Jasper's human mate and Charlie's daughter." He knows not to touch her from a talk Carlisle had with him before we left Washington. He simply gives her a smile and a nod. "And finally, next to Alice is her mate, Isaiah. He is Bella's fraternal twin."

When Isaiah and Eleazar shake hands, I feel Isaiah jump a foot then exclaim, "Shit!"

My mate falls to his knees, covering his eyes, moaning and rubbing them as if they burn. His sister rushes over to him to check on him, but he doesn't respond to anyone. He remains on the ground for a minute, not moving beyond rubbing his eyes.

Eleazar, shocked, says, "Well, that is something, isn't it?"

I growl at him, though I know he wouldn't hurt my mate on purpose. "What are talking about, Eleazar? What did you do?"

He held his hands up in surrender. "I assure you, Alice, I didn't do anything. It was your mate that pulled my gift away from me."

_What?_

Zaya stands on shaky legs. Now it is Eleazar's turn to startle as my mate lays his hand on the dark haired man's shoulder briefly, just barely skimming the other man's skin.

"Hmm, very interesting." Eleazar murmurs. "You're a Siphon, it seems. And your sister is a Shield."

Isaiah stands uncomfortably under our combined stares. Clearing his throat, he asks, "I know what I can do. But why do you call it a Siphon?"

"I take it none of you knew any of that?" Eleazar turns to Carlisle as he speaks. We all shake our heads in the negative. "Well, a Siphon can work in many ways. But the one defining characteristic of such a gift is that it can copy, mimic, take permanently, or simply borrow a gift from another vampire or gifted person. What young Isaiah here just did was take my gift into himself, essentially stealing it away from me for a moment. I gather from his reaction that it is quite painful for him to do so at this human stage and would be best if avoided."

My mate still looks uncomfortable with this topic. "Yeah, it does hurt. And I usually try not to touch a gifted vampire in the rare circumstances that I would need to. If I know their gifted, I can somewhat turn it off, I guess you could say. I just didn't know you had a gift. I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's alright, really. It's not like you took it away permanently. There's no reason to worry. And if you can turn it off the threat of burn out is severely diminished." Eleazar turns back to Carlisle. "Now, my friend, I was under the assumption that you only had the one gifted potential."

Carlisle shakes his head thoughtfully. "Well, we knew about Bella's gift. She was ill for a number of days after the incident I told you of with Edward. She exhibited signs of the burn out you explained to me. Isaiah has never shown any indications of being gifted."

Eleazar's mouth pops open in surprise. "Exhibited signs? Carlisle, if she bled at all, she should be turned. She should not be able to survive it."

"Yeah, test subject is standing right here, you know?" Bella says sarcastically, shivering next to Jasper. "And I really don't want to be rude, but can we please go inside before my toes freeze off?"

We all move into the house and quickly settle onto the couches in the living room. Apparently, Carmen and the girls came over earlier to ready the house for human habitation, complete with food enough for a week or so.

"Now, Carlisle, you must tell me how young Bella survived if she was indeed bleeding. So far as I know, such a thing is not possible." Eleazar picks right back up where he left off.

Bella rolls her eyes as Carlisle answers. "It was Isaiah who told us to give her blood after she collapsed. For some reason, the human body requires blood after using a vampiric gift."

"Perhaps it is something to do with that very fact. It is a vampiric gift. Therefor the only way to recover from it is the same way a vampire would. Interesting."

I don't have to be psychic to see Bella, as well as Jasper, is getting very annoyed. I would be too if someone kept speaking like I wasn't even there. Clearing my throat unnecessarily, I get the two researchers attention. Gesturing in their direction, they see the couple sitting on the couch right in front of them.

"Ah..." Carlisle murmurs, looking suitably ashamed.

"I'm terribly sorry, Isabella. And to you, Major. I meant no offense." If he weren't a vampire, I'm sure Eleazar would be stammering right now under Jasper's dark gaze.

The annoyance disappears from Bella's face to be replaced by confusion. "Jas, why did he call you by your old military rank?" She asks him, looking up to see his face.

It's a good thing the man has such impeccable control over his own facial expressions. I know Jasper didn't want to tell her so soon about his rather dark and murky past. He probably thinks she'll leave once he convinces her what a monster he is. He will probably never think of himself in a better light, but I know she won't leave because of what he did in the past.

_I only hope I'm right. _I think as I lead Isaiah out of the room as discreetly as I can. Sadly, his father joins us. _I wonder if their father will insist on separate rooms for each of the twins. I dearly hope not._

**Jasper POV**

I watch as every last one of them leaves the room, even Peter, the fucking coward. None of them wants to listen to a recounting of my bloody past, and really, I can't blame them. But I at least thought that Peter would sit and soak up how uncomfortable I am going to be. He usually gets a kick out of other people's suffering. No, he runs with his tail between his legs, saying something about finding his room and settling his mate. _Bullshit!_

"Cowboy? What's wrong?" My Bella asks softly.

I don't know where to start. How far back? Does she have to know? Should I even tell her? Or should I just brush it off as a joke? No, she will find out eventually. I can't be a coward. I'm not a coward. But I don't want her to leave. As soon as she knows what kind of monster I am, what kind of monster I am fully capable of being, she'll leave. I know it.

She looks crestfallen as she gazes up at me for a moment more. Sighing, she gets up and makes to leave. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I know there's something you've been reluctant to tell me every time I ask about your past. I understand."

She sounds so sad, so disappointed, it damn near breaks my heart. Before she can take more than a step away, I'm in front of her. My hands come to rest on her shoulders, but I can't seem to force myself to meet her eyes or speak. I just don't want her to leave. Even if she doesn't, by some miracle, think me a monster, I know she will turn away from my scars. She might say they don't bother her, but women don't like scars on their men in this day and age. Hell, they didn't like them very much when I was a boy. She'll turn away from me in disgust. Then where would I be? With a mate that can't stand to look at me out of fear and revulsion. My life would be hell. And so would hers.

"Jasper?" I can hear the tears cracking her voice and that's all I can take. I drop my hands from her shoulders, turning away from her to look out the large, picture window that looks out over the snow laden landscape outside.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I fill my lungs and simply start speaking. "I didn't have the same introduction into this life that the rest of my family did, darlin'." I say in a rush with no emotion, hoping she won't interrupt me. If she does, I know I'll lose my nerve. "I told you how I was a Major in the Confederate Army. How I left home when I was sixteen to join the fight, finally succeeding when I was seventeen. By the time I was nineteen, I was the youngest Major to date and tasked with evacuation of Galveston, Texas. On my way back to the city, I rode by three women I thought to be lost souls from the evacuation. When I stopped to offer them my aid, that is when my human life came to an end. But I omitted a few things from my story."

I try to mentally separate myself from the images that come to my mind as I tell her my horror of a life before the Cullens. I explain all about Maria. I tell her about my first year, what little control I really had that was further sabotaged by Maria and her sisters. Their newborn armies decimating the south until there was nothing left but death and bloodletting. I told her honestly how many lives I alone took. How many newborns I eliminated after their first year was up and they were no longer useful. How, when Peter came along, I found someone I could befriend for the first time in sixty seven years.

"Then the night of another newborn culling came in 1934. Charlotte was on the list of those to be disposed of, but I kept getting this feeling from Peter, my Captain at the time. Like he wanted to kill anyone that came anywhere near her. When she finally was called outside, he turned on me, calling for Char to run. That he would hold me off. I let him. I couldn't hurt the only friend I had. The only person that I felt I had a real, almost human connection to. So I let him run with her. I took the three months of torture from Maria and any others she chose as punishment. I never knew I could sink lower than I had already, but something snapped when Peter left. I became worse, if you can imagine. I became what everyone today still refers to as 'The Major', a moniker I never asked for and a title I used to be proud of. I threw myself into training newborns, becoming crueler than I ever had been before. I took risks I previously thought too much to bet on. I had nothing left to live for after Peter and his persistent good mood was gone. No one else to confide in that could even remotely understand. I realize now that I sank into a deep depression, but at the time I, personally, felt nothing.

"Of course, I was still forced to feel what others felt. Most of the time it was anger, hatred, despair, deceit. A not so good cocktail of negative emotions forced down my throat every day. Then, a few days before Maria was planning on having me killed some time in 1940, Peter showed up out of the blue. He told me how vampires all over the world, even just a hundred miles north of the Mexican border, they lived in peace. They could hunt when they wanted. Live where they wanted. Act how they wanted. There was only one rule, a law really: do not draw attention from the humans. It didn't take more than a few minutes to have me convinced to leave. For the first time, I felt almost free as I traveled with Peter and Charlotte. But I still couldn't get over feeling the pain and suffering of humans every time I was forced to hunt. I left them to wander on my own, only feeding when I absolutely had to. Until 1948, when Alice caught up with me in Philadelphia, saying she knew a way to help me and that if I went with her, my life would be better. A year later, we met the Cullens and... well, I guess you know the rest."

I don't have the heart to turn towards her. I can already picture the horror in her eyes. I'm only amazed she managed not to run screaming from the room for this long. It will come. I know it will come. But I can't help the niggling hope deep inside that maybe, just maybe, she'll be different. It's stupid to feed such a hope. Not even Carlisle, the most accepting and compassionate man- human or vampire- could listen to my tale without practically turning green around the gills.

**Bella POV**

He thinks I'll hate him now. He honestly thinks I'll turn away from him? I approach him slowly, unsure of how he'll react after such a tense story. Coming around to his front, I wrap my arms around him, holding him as tight as I can and feeling my tears burn my eyes for the atrocities put upon my beautiful Jasper. My cowboy.

"Bella?" He sounds so unsure, like he can't tell one way or the other how I'm going to react. I guess my shield is working against me again.

I look into his deep ocher eyes and frame his face with my trembling hands, hoping he won't take that as a sign of fear. "Jas, you aren't cruel and you aren't a monster!" I say emphatically. "You did what you had to do to survive. You may have made mistakes along the way, but who wouldn't? We all struggle at times. We all have regrets. And I am proud of you! Proud of the person you chose to become. Proud of you for climbing out of such a bad situation and making the best out of your life!"

He shakes his head, like he wants to deny the words coming out of my mouth, but I don't give him the chance to protest. I silence him with a soft kiss, having to stand on my tip-toes to reach due to his tallness.

"I couldn't ask for a better man to call my mate, Jasper Whitlock. You are mine, and I don't want to hear anyone talking ill of someone who's mine." I feel the hot blush wash over my face, but do my best to ignore it. "The only thing your story tells me about you is that you are strong, brave, and dependable. I don't see a beast when I look at you, like you seem to expect me to. I only see my cowboy."

"But-" He stops, gathering the right words. "Darlin', I ain't pretty. I have so many scars that will never go away. You can't see them with human eyes, but if you change-"

"When I change." I say firmly, knowing it is true. I would change for this man. To be with this man forever would be a dream come true. "And what about scars? I-" I take a deep breath, stealing myself for a hard admission. "I'm not exactly unscarred myself, Jasper." I whisper. "It's not as much as Izzy. He kept me from a lot of beatings, but still- it's not exactly an attractive sight for a girl." Now it is me that cannot meet his gaze.

He's silent for a moment, then a growl rips out of his chest. Before I can react, before I can tell if he is rejecting me or not, his lips are crushed to mine in a soul searing kiss. I can feel it all the way down to my toes. He pulls away, looking me square in the eyes, he says, "It should be obvious that I don't care about superficial blemishes, darlin'. You are all I need, now and forever. You are mine!"

I feel an unfamiliar heat unfurl low in my belly at his words. Pulling him back to me, I pour every ounce of relief and overwhelming love I feel into the kiss. He groans when he feels my emotions again. His tongue brushes my lips and I welcome him readily. I love his taste! It's addictive. I could kiss him forever and never get enough. We both battle for dominance, though I can tell he's trying to be gentle. I wish he didn't have to hold back for my weak human body. I want to be changed now, but I also don't want to be too young when I do.

All thoughts of anything not Jasper are wiped from my mind when he pulls me more firmly against him. I feel a hard ridge pressed into my stomach that I instinctively want to rub against. My breathing hitches as he tugs my leg up, trying to get us closer, I guess. But the height difference is too great it seems. But not insurmountable. I let out a startled giggle when he swiftly picks me up and presses me into the nearest wall. My giggle is quickly replaced by a moan of pleasure, though, as he pressed into me right where I didn't even know I needed him.

I've never thought about sex much. Sure, I know the fundamental mechanics. Living with Renee, it's kind of hard not to get a first hand education on these things. But I've never really paid any attention as to what to do during the act. I didn't have any need or want to. But now, I kind of wish I had.

When Jasper's lips leave mine, I sigh in disappointment, thinking we are done. But instead, his lips trail open mouthed kisses over my jaw and down the right side of my neck. My head lolls to the side of its' own accord to give him better access and my hands burrow in the raw, honeyed silk of his hair. He kisses his way back up to my ear, lightly grazing my lobe with his razor sharp teeth. Desirous heat shoots down to my lower belly and I feel liquid pool where it ends. I feel him take an unneeded breath. He rumbles in his chest, then begins to purr. God, I love that sound. Traveling back down my neck, he settles his mouth over my pulse point and sucks gently.

"Jasper!" I gasp and moan. I feel more liquid heat building with his actions and I know my face is redder than it has ever been before. Without conscious thought, my hips begin to grind jerkily into the hardness I feel under me in rhythm with his mouth. After a moment, he begins to tentatively press into me in return. This feeling is all consuming and nothing I've ever had before. I wish it could never end.

Sadly, though, all good things must come to an end. Just as I attempt to pull him back up for another kiss, he freezes, pulling away. Growling, he lowers me to the floor, places me behind him, and faces the entry way to the living room.

_Oh my God! I completely forgot we weren't in private._ My blush cannot possibly get any hotter. There stands my brother, a blush almost as bad as mine on his face. He looks like he wants to say something, but is trying to get over the shock.

"What is it, Isaiah?" Jasper grinds out, his voice still a little husky.

"Uh..." My brother looks to the clock on the wall. "Alice wanted me to tell you two that we have guests coming. Sometime within the next five to ten minutes." He doesn't stick around to find out how this news is received. He turns and dashes back up the stairs, probably trying to get away from Jasper's death glare. I would most likely be glaring at him, too, if I weren't so embarrassed.

When Isaiah is gone, I look up to Jasper. "We should probably go greet them, huh?"

He leans down and presses a relatively chaste kiss to my lips. "Would it be bad of me to say I don't wanna?"

This makes me giggle. "I don't either. But we should." When he tries to straighten, I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders and deep our kiss. I don't let it go on for long, or we'll be back in the same position as before. I really want to, though. I wish we could lose ourselves and forget the world. Most of the world could burn to cinders and I wouldn't notice with my Jasper by my side.

"Are you sure about that, darlin'?" He murmurs against my lips when I pull back for breath. Looking up into his face, I see he has a self-satisfied grin on his face.

Tapping him lightly on the nose, I say, "Don't push me, mister. You wouldn't like it." Disengaging, I scamper away towards the front door, grabbing my jacket along the way. I make it out to the very edge of the porch before I feel his strong arms circle me. He picks me up, making me squeal girlishly, pressing his face to my throat- on the right side I notice. He growls playfully as he nips my nape, making me squeal even more. A very diluted version of the desire I felt only a few minutes ago washes through me as he nuzzles what I know will be one hell of a hickey.

He puts me down in front of him when he hears the front door open. Alice and Isaiah come out to join us, followed by Peter and Charlotte. The latter two stand between me and my brother. I'm so glad they're here. I missed them for so long. For the year they stayed with us, they were more parents to us than anything else, and I will always be grateful to them for saving me and my brother.

_I wonder if they know what we were doing in the living room?_ With that unneeded thought, I am pretty sure I could take my coat off and still be warm from my blush. Thankfully, I don't really have much time to dwell on this particular thought vein.

Just then, a person breaks through the trees at a gentle lope. She's a beautiful strawberry blonde that could _almost_ give Rose a run for her money. She is well in front of the others, I can tell. It's a full minute before anyone else breaks away from the forest that surrounds the house.

_Why is the Rosalie Runner-up getting so close? She's a vampire, she doesn't need to be this close._ The new blonde's proximity, only a few feet away now, makes my heart skitter with apprehension. I want to burrow into Jasper and let him hide me, but I also don't want to be seen as a damn coward.

I try to smile at the new girl. I really do. I think it only comes out as a pained grimace, though. She seems to take that as an invitation. I don't even register that she has moved before she has pulled me away from my Jasper and into a friendly hug. At least, I think it's friendly. I don't like it. I really, really don't like it! Something feels wrong! I don't want her touching me!

One second, the blonde is embracing me in an unwelcome hug, and the next I barely register her go flying away from me before my knees go out. Jasper catches me before I can make contact with the hard, snow covered ground. He holds me securely to his chest and I can feel the viscous growl reverberating through him and into me. This only serves to unsettle me more. In my foggy, tired brain, all I can register is that he sees a threat nearby. I don't want him threatened. The other stirs against its' new bonds, feeling around for a real threat to fight. When it apparently feels nothing, it settles back down and I feel like it would be snoring if it could.

Vaguely, I note that the rest have joined us, some going to help the offensive blonde now buried in a tree and the others vampire sprint to our little group. When I feel a slightly less threatening growl leave my mate, they stop a good distance away and slowly start to approach so that I can see every move they make. My dad looks really confused as he takes in the somewhat chaotic situation around us.

"I don't quite follow." Charlie says. "What the heck did we miss? Why is Kate smashed through a tree? And what the hell is wrong with my baby girl?" With each question, he is getting more and more agitated. I want to reassure him that I am fine, but I just don't have the energy. I really just want to curl up and go to sleep for a while, preferably in Jasper's arms, though I am pretty sure I would have to fight Charlie on that.

Thankfully, Peter steps forward to answer. "Now, Charlie. Calm down. Your daughter was only defending herself."

Eleazar sounds confused and concerned when he speaks. My eyes have drifted closed by this point. "Defending herself? What was the threat? Certainly not Kate, I'm sure."

I hear brush and wood scraping as someone helps the blonde, Kate, free from her predicament. A moment later, I hear a voice speak.

"I was only greeting her. I was non-threatening, just like you said, Carlisle. But she threw me away from her for no reason."

"You call that non-threatening? You didn't even give her a half second to register your presence, let alone your intention. You're lucky you were only thrown and not crushed." Oh, yeah, my brother is pissed. Majorly pissed.

A soft female voice gasps. "Kate! We told you not to touch her. She doesn't know you and may only see you as a danger!" Mama Esme sounds mad, and when she's mad, I want to hide. She can be a real mama bear when she wants to be.

"But I only hugged her! How can a hug be a threat?" I hear many people groan at her words.

A lilting, French accented voice speaks. "Katie, you are a vampire. Your strength alone could be considered a threat. You must let the little one get to know you before you approach her."

Uncle Peter speaks from my right, drawing my waning attention to him. "Actually, getting to know her wouldn't help." He says this like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

I want to ask him why that would be the case, but Isaiah does it for me. _See? Twin Telepathy!_

Peter answers his question with a question to someone else. "Kate has an offensive ability, right?" Eleazar confirms this. "Well, there you have it!" When you can all but hear the proverbial crickets in the silence that follows, he lets out a put upon sigh and adds, "Bella's gift, as of right now, works purely on instinct. And nothing but. Over the years, that instinct has been honed to a fine, razor's edge. She knows, _instinctively, _that Katie over there has a gift that could hurt her. Maybe. If she was caught unawares, that is. Possibly." He didn't sound too sure on that last count.

Kate splutters indignantly. "Wait! Are you saying she's prejudiced against gifts? What the hell?"

I want to defend myself against this, but Jasper begins to purr, pulling me back into my half doze as I rest against him.

I can picture Peter's glare at the woman. "Did you not listen to a damn word I said, Blondie? It's instinct. You do not control instinct. Instinct controls you."

_Huh. Maybe that's what the other is. My instinct? It could explain a few things, I guess. _Everything feels like a dream as I drift, half asleep, half awake.

Kate grumbles, but doesn't try to argue.

I feel myself being picked up. I mumble, not wanting to wake up. Snuggling into the hard chest beneath me, we enter the warmer air of the house. I guess we may be leaving the others behind, but I can't bring myself to care. After I don't know how long, I hear my dad's grumpy voice break through my tired haze.

"And what do you think you're doing, Jasper?" He doesn't sound too happy when he speaks to my mate.

Jasper's chest rumbles beneath me as he replies. "She's dead on her feet, Chief. I'm letting her rest."

Dad actually growls at him. "She can do that just fine without having to be wrapped around you!"

_I just want to sleep. Why can't he leave us alone? Is that so much to ask?_ Opening my eyes, I see we're in a room decorated in blues and off-whites. Charlie is standing in the doorway, trying and failing to intimidate Jasper. I glare at him with all the meager strength I have left.

"Don't look at me like that, young lady. I am still your father and this is inappropriate. You should not—"

I cut off his blustering by saying, "Dad, teenage fit." I lay my head back on my cowboy's chest. Dad splutters and objects for a few more minutes, but soon he gives up and leaves in a huff. I'm sure I'll have to deal with him later. But right now, I couldn't care any less.

Jasper picks back up his purring and soon, I'm out like a light. Drifting in half hazy dreams, my brain conjures sweet images of the future I see before me with my family, my Jasper, by my side.


	20. Change Is A Good Thing

**Isaiah POV**

_One Month Later, Thanksgiving..._

"Can you explain to me again why you don't want to be changed yet?" Alice asks for the hundredth time this month. I've probably explained it at least a dozen different ways. Yet she still can't understand my reasoning?

"Ali, I told you I will not be changed until you marry me. Simple as that."

Yes, marry. As in holy matrimony. I asked my girl to be my wife two weeks ago, and she said yes. Didn't even hesitate. I was so happy that day, I even smiled at Kate. Jasper, Bella, and I haven't exactly been the warmest to her since that first day, but we still get along okay. Meaning we tolerate her and she us.

"Zaya!" She practically whines. The scrunched look on her face is adorable. I pull her into my side as we sit in the living room, watching Emmett argue with Rosalie about what movie is the most 'Thanksgiving's. Esme works in the kitchen with Bella to make the Thanksgiving meal. I offered to help, but I only got oven mitts batted at me for my troubles. So I stole a couple marshmallows. What's the big deal?

"Come on. None of that, Ali-girl. You know my reasons, and I'm not budging. Unless something forces my change before I'm nineteen, I'm not doing it." I kiss her on the nose as the door to the kitchen opens and Bella walks out holding two plates.

"Come on, Izzy. Esme's making me take a lunch break." She waves a plate of food in front of me and then walks away with it towards the dining room. "Hurry up, or it'll all be gone!"

I get up after giving Alice one more kiss and follow after my sister. Mostly, I'm following the food, but Bella doesn't need to know that. Sitting down across from her, I watch as our mates pretty much gravitate towards us. I kind of feel bad for Jasper. He hasn't been allowed in the kitchen to see Bella since dawn. He kept distracting Bella and got kicked out by Esme. Carlisle almost had to come and break it up. The rest of us couldn't stop laughing at the scene they made. Emmett only egged them on and Rose couldn't summon the right amount of serious intent to make him back off. This resulted in a bit of tussle between the big bear of a man and the blonde Texan in the backyard. Bets were taken and I noticed that despite the odds, Dad bet against Jasper with an evil glint in his eyes.

Charlie still hasn't gotten over the fact that we won't listen to him when it comes to separate rooms from our mates. It's not like we've done anything 'wrong' really. A little fooling around, but nothing serious. On my part, at least. I don't know about my sister. I doubt it, though. Jasper looks too pent up for that to have happened.

_Oh, God! Stop that line of thought right now! That is my sister and I do not want to know. So far as I am concerned, Isabella is androgynous. END OF STORY!_

Shaking my head in agitation, I tuck into my lunch of carved turkey sandwich and green bean casserole. The next few hours pass in a food coma following a small feast for the only two humans in the house. Soon, we are all settled in the living room, trying to decide what movie or movies to watch.

"What about _The Blind Side_?" Esme suggests. All the guys groan, except for Jasper. He's too wrapped up in my sister to really put anything into the conversation.

"No way!" Emmett jumps up and grabs a movie from the shelf. "We've gotta watch the Harry Potter Series! There's nothing more Thanksgiving than that!"

Rose laughs indulgently at her husbands enthusiasm. "Em, you say that about every holiday."

He rolls his eyes. "And it's true about every holiday. Harry Potter is great for any season!"

I get up and take the movie set from him. Looking it over, I note that it's that weird magical wizard story that came out when Bella and I were ten. We never got the chance to read it, though we saw advertising for it all over the place. "What's it about?" I ask Emmett.

He stops his banter with Rose and turns to look at me like I've grown seven heads like a hydra. "Harry Potter? You don't know what Harry Potter is about?" I shake my head. "Dude, you've lived under a rock your whole life."

"Basically, yeah." Bella jokes from the other side of the room.

Emmett gets this really determined look on his face and grabs the movies from my hand. "It's settled. These muggles need educating! Don't worry, little house-elves, I will give you your sock to freedom!" Everyone laughs and settles in as the first movie begins.

I look around at everyone as Rose dims the lights to 'set the mood' as her mate says, and I settle in with my mate by my side and my sister smiling softly at the man holding her. Life couldn't be much better than this.

**{-F-E-A-}**

**Charlie POV**

_Two months later, New Years Day_

I am struggling to come to terms with my kids, my little girl in particular, growing up. Sure, I knew they were dating before we had to leave Forks. But it was more of an out of sight, out of mind kind of 'know'. I didn't actually have to see the 'dating' happening in front of me. Or HEAR IT! My god, I can hear everything with these new vampire senses. Half the time, I find myself far far away from the house to get away from all the sweet nothings and goo goo eyes my kids keep throwing at their significant others. Especially Isabella. I know she tries not to do anything too forward in my presence, but let's face it... I am always within seeing or hearing distance! I don't know how much more of this I can take before I go completely crazy and snap at my little girls boyfriend.

And I know that would be a mistake. The amount of scars on that man. One does not take that much damage and walk away fresh as daisies. And I like him. I really do. I think he's good for my little girl. He takes care of her, looks out for her, and gives her the room and the ability to grow. I have nothing against the guy. Except he's too close to my daughter and even SHARES A ROOM WITH HER. I don't know what in my male primate brain makes it so that I am almost perfectly alright with my son dating and growing up, but not his sister. But whatever it is, it makes me want to go ape shit!

Being a newborn vampire on top of being a dad is not very easy. Everyone keeps applauding me for my control, but most of the time, I don't feel that much in control, at all. Sure, I can keep my temper well enough. I've had practice aplenty doing so when it came to dealing with Renee. You have to have the patience of a saint to deal with that devil woman. Half the time, I want to punch a wall/tree/rock/face, and the other half I just want to bite the first warm blooded thing that comes across my path. Sure, I put on a good act. But that's all it is. An act.

Due to the animal blood diet I've been keeping to, the damn burn is always there! It aggravates me at best, and pisses me off at worst. It does nothing to help my coping with my children's lives changing without my input. Every time my kids get close, when I give them a hug or sit next to them on the couch, images- horrible and ghastly- pop into my cavernous head. Draining them, sating the hunger. Drinking ever drop of blood until the burn, the horrible, agonizing burn is gone!

All of which is why, now, I find myself sitting in the woods in the middle of the night, counting stars to keep myself in check. My daughter, for at least the dozenth time, has refused to listen to my arguments on why she should not be 'sleeping' with a man she isn't married to and that she is too young to think of such things. No matter how many convincing arguments I give, she just rolls her eyes- ROLLS HER EYES- and brushes me off. She says she sleeps better when he's close by. She says that, in the vampire world, they are already married, seeing as they are mates. _MARRIED!_

And then she lays the really bad one on me. She tells me that, for all intents and purposes, she has been grown up since she was eight years old. I take that to mean that, while she loves me as a father, she does not intend to listen to me as one. I almost lost my temper when Jasper walked into the room at just that moment. Almost. But I somehow found the control to leave the room, the house, and, hell, probably the state with how far I ran.

I smell a person approaching as the wind blows from the south. After literally a second, I recognize the scent as that of Peter. He and I had talked a few weeks ago and found we had much in common, including our love for the twins. I learned he helped them when they were seven and almost killed by a passing, child-eating nomad. He also confided in me that his... 'knower'... let him know that if he did not help them beyond the vampire, then they would never have survived until their eighth year. He was willing to tell me more, if I wanted, but I felt I knew enough of their past. The kids already feel guilty for telling me what I know. No need to make them feel worse.

Peter breaks through the trees on the southern end of the small clearing I made around my rock. I was angry and punching trees seemed to help. "Chief." He nods to me in greeting, tipping an imaginary cowboy hat.

"Hey, Pete. Back from your little trip already?" The man had left the family nearly a month ago when his wife became restless. As nomads, they tend to not stick around on a very permanent basis. The kids never said as much, but I'm pretty sure they wrangled another promise of a visit from them in the very near future. Looks like this was that visit.

"Sort of. Just a short stop over. See, me and the missus were travelin' through Nevada when we came across a little gem we thought might help you with a problem your havin'."

What problem? Maybe a way to keep Jasper away from Isabella? That would be great, but I doubt that would be it. Peter and Jasper are like brothers forged in the fire of hell. No way would he try to find something that would make his brother upset. So it must be my other problem. My bloodlust.

"Yeah, you know what I'm talkin' about." He motions for me to follow. We breeze through the rough terrain of the Canadian/Alaskan wilderness- I have no idea where I am, though I know how to get home.

A few minutes later, I find myself outside a shabby, roughly cobbled together cabin that looks like a three year old played with linkin' logs and got bored halfway through. I look over to Peter to see him holding out a black file folder in his hand. I see on the front the insignia of Nevada State Penn. I know what that black means.

He hands me the folder slowly. I take it and read the cover page:

_Name: Rafael Martin_

_DOB: 06-05-1954_

_Height: 5'1''_

_Gender: Male_

_Coloring: dark hair, dark eyes, tanned skin_

_Distinguishing Characteristics: -tattoo on his left upper bicep of 'unicorn'. -scar across right cheek from lip to ear_

_Reason for Incarceration: Pedophilia_

The last word of the last entry, is the one that really catches my eye. Pedophilia. This bastard is a pedophile. A sick, twisted individual that didn't deserve to walk this earth. The papers disintegrate in my grip as my anger grows. The scent that I smelled on the file is wafting from the cabin before me. I don't even think about what I'm doing. In my haste to reach the fucker, I break the door down.

His scream rends the air when he sees me. He's huddled in a corner, cowering in fear. As I approach him as slowly as I can, building his fear of his impending death, I get a whiff of the acrid scent of urine. The fucker pissed himself. Picking him up by the scruff, I see his extremities are an angry red from the cold. _Don't care. Kill. Feed. Sate._

I drag the bastard's neck to my mouth and sink my teeth unerringly into his pulsating vein. The rich, vibrant taste fills my mouth in seconds. This sick bastard's ambrosia pours down my aching, fire drenched throat like the sweetest honey. In seconds, he is drained and limp in my punishing grip. Pulling away, I drop the filth and turn away, not glancing back as I walk out of the cabin. Behind me, I hear Peter flip a lighter open and toss it into the room. The whole place goes up like a tinder box. I don't care. When I feel the other man start walking after me, I break into a run, backtracking to my clearing.

Sitting on my rock, I wait for Peter to join me. I forgot about my newborn strength and went much faster than my companion. He enters the clearing cautiously, eyeing me on my rock.

"You alright, Chief?"

"Who was that man? Why did you bring him here all the way from Nebraska? Did you want me to kill him?" I shoot question after question at him, not even knowing if I want to know the answer to them.

"That man was Rafael Martin, a pedophile, just like his file said. I brought him here so you could get over the little conflict you've been having with your thirst. And no, I personally didn't _want_ you to kill him. I wanted you to want to want to kill him."

"Truly, your thought processes are dizzying, Peter." I sigh. "And of course I wanted to kill him. The freak was a sick individual. He deserved it. But my family is full of vegetarians. I'm a vegetarian. Isn't this what the others refer to as a 'slip up'. That's not good."

He looks at me, thinking for a moment. "Charlie, there is a reason each and every one of them is a vegetarian. Hell if I know what those are, but they choose to be this way and they have all tasted human blood. All of them, except for Carlisle. Each one of them made a choice, for good or bad. You weren't given that choice when you woke up. You weren't told of different perspectives. You were simply told what to eat and expected to fit into their mold." He stops to let me speak, I think. But I have no idea what thoughts to voice, so he continues. "You are a cop. From what I understand, you've always been a cop and will always be a cop. You uphold the law. You make sure regular people are safe at night and tucked up warm in their beds. That's you, a part of who you are. In my opinion, you aren't a rabbit muncher that thinks only good of humans. You've seen their seedy underbelly."

"But my family is nothing but vegetarians. My kids-"

"Don't know how they'll feed when they turn and would never think less of _anyone, _especially their father, for feeding from humans_._ I have a pretty good feeling they'll be a half and half bet when they turn, but these things may change. But you, Chief, have a choice to make. You feel how good you feel right now?"

I nod, unsure of my answer. The burn is gone. It's not dulled or covered up, it's gone and I can think for the first time in months. But this isn't good. Feeding on humans is bad. Isn't it?

"That man you just fed on, Charlie. He was a criminal. One of the worst in the world. There are a lot of them out there. Many that can't be found by human police. Many that get around the laws to endanger the populace. I'm not saying killing as you please is good. But killing the scum can be just as good as not feeding from humans."

"I can't be judge, jury, and executioner, Peter. That's not a role anyone should take on."

He grunts, and pulls something out of a satchel hanging at his hip. Another file. "Let me read this to you. Then you decide, Chief." I nod, intrigued. " 'Counts of child molestation for the accused, Mr. Martin." He begins listing off name after name of what I assume to be poor, abused children. Then he reaches the last two names on the list. "Isaiah Swan, age five. Isabella Swan, age five. This concludes the list of offended individuals.' " He stops reading and looks up at me as I sit still as a statue on my rock, trying not to break something in my anger. "You recognize the last two. They were his last attempted victims."

The white hot rage recedes just enough that I can think about what he just said. _Attempted_? "You mean, they weren't-" I can't finish my question. If I were still human, I would be physically ill by now.

He shakes his head, keeping a close eye on me. "No, Chief. They weren't. But Isaiah was nearly gutted in the process by the fucker's hunting knife. When the police were called, they found Bella standing over the cowering form of one R. Martin, his face sliced open by the knife in the little girls hand as she guarded her brother's bleeding body. It took six large male officers to get the knife away from her so they could help her twin. When he was secure, she finally passed out from what they assumed was shock. When she woke, she had no memory of the event."

My children were almost... I can't even think the word. It's too sickening. My baby girl had to defend herself and her brother from a monster like that. It makes me want to rip and tear. If there were less criminals in the world, other little girls like my Bells wouldn't have to worry about creeps like him. If abusive people never had the chance to abuse again, then children like mine could live better lives. If horrible people weren't alive, then the world would be a better place.

"Listen, you don't have to commit to anything. Nobody would force you to do anything, and certainly not me. I only wanted to let you know of the options and let you have a little closure over your kids' pasts. You can always change your mind later, Charlie, and go right back to the hoof diet. No one would ever dare judge."

I could, couldn't I? There's nothing holding me back. Sure, Carlisle might try to talk me out of it, but he would understand, right? My kids won't think less of me. Will they? Bella listened to Jasper's gruesome tale and didn't flinch, so what I have decided on couldn't be all that bad.

Just one problem. "How do I hunt criminals?"

He grins. "Oh, the fun we'll have, Chief. You're in for the ride of your life."

**Jasper POV**

_Three months later, April_

I'm glad I called Peter a few months ago. I don't know what he did, but Charlie seemed like a happier man when he came back that morning on New Year's Day. His emotions were more balanced than they had been since his change. He had a gleam in his eye he'd been steadily losing for a few months. He seemed... better. He didn't even glare at me when he saw me with my arm around his daughter.

That definitely took one worry off my list. Just one, however. There were more. One such being my mate's unwillingness to change. I have come to learn that my little spitfire of a mate can be very, very stubborn when she wants to be. And, my God, when she wants to be!

It turns out that she and her brother made a promise. They will be changed at the same time. Bella is ready any time. Isaiah, however, has reservations. He wants to be married to Alice first. Hell if I know why! I don't think he's fully grasped the danger his twin, _my mate_, is in while she is human. Every second is another she could burn out permanently. And while Carlisle keeps a healthy supply of blood packs on hand, we may not be able to administer them on time next time. Yet he still won't budge on the issue.

My mate's warm arms circle my neck from behind. She rests her head on my shoulder. "What's up, cowboy? You look upset."

"Just thinkin', darlin'. You're dad sounded good the last time we heard from him. Seems the human diet is workin' for him." I never could tell if she was for or against feeding from humans. I knew the only reason I abstain is because I can't handle their emotional agony upon death time after time. Other than that, I don't really have a problem with it.

"I'm glad he's doing better. Peter couldn't have shown up at a better time." She hugs me tighter and before she can pull away like I know she is about to, I grab her and swing her around to sit in my lap in the armchair. My book tumbles to the floor as she squeals, landing in my lap in an ungainly heap.

The look on her face once she settles lets me know she has news to share. "What is it? What do you know?" She learned that look from Alice, I swear.

She grins up at me. "Alice set the wedding date!" She announces proudly.

Thank fucking God! Alice and Isaiah have been dancing around that issue for weeks now. And by dancing, I mean Isaiah has been agreeing with whatever she wants and Alice has been trying to pull information out of him about his preferences. The date was probably the least of their issues. Seriously, getting the guy to open up about himself to his mate was like trying to bleed a stone. In the end, Alice pretty much gave up when Isaiah only told her that _he_ would be picking the song for their first dance.

"Oh, and when would that be?" The sooner the wedding takes place, the sooner my mate will permit me to changer her and the sooner she'll be less breakable.

"June thirtieth. Everything else is settled, too. So now, it's just a matter of waiting. I'm not sure why they are, though. Most of the guests could arrive in a matter of hours or days." She sounds so excited about her brother's wedding to Alice. Before we talked it over, I couldn't fathom why she doesn't want to get married herself.

When I asked her, trying to be casual about it, if she ever saw herself getting married, she said no. She said that she didn't need vows in front of our family to feel like she's mine. She only needs me by her side forever. She told me that the only thing a marriage certificate is is a piece of paper that will get lost in the sands of time. I had to agree with her there. A few decades ago now, I got curious and looked up my human family's records. The only thing I found on any of them but my sister was that all files on them, all evidence of their very existence was lost in a fire not long after I disappeared. Even their graves had no markers anywhere.

The more time I spend with my Bella, the more I learn she's exactly right for me.

**Alice POV**

_One week before the wedding..._

Everything is ready for our wedding. There's only one more thing to take care of before my big day. My wedding gift to Isaiah. I have no idea what to get for him that will show him how much I love him. He has the means to get anything he could ever want. He doesn't care about clothes. He's touch and go about music. Jewelry isn't his style. Cuff links always seemed too impersonal to me. I only hit inspiration this morning when Isaiah and I decided to humor Esme and take the remaining week before the wedding away from each other.

My plan forming in my mind, I follow Jasper's scent trail deep into the forest, tracking him to a small clearing near a cliff face covered in moss. He's just finished with a caribou. Dropping it too the ground, he starts to dig a hole to hide the body from any possible discovery.

"Hey, Jazz!"

He smiles up at me as he drops the dead carcass into the deep hole and begins to cover it. "Hey, Alice. What do you want?"

I pout up at him as I step to his side. "Why do you say that? What makes you think I want something?"

Jasper stares down at me for a moment, then silently quirks a brow. _Oh, right, empath. Duh!_

I grin. "So you know how I'm not allowed to see Isaiah for the rest of this week?" Jasper nods, he knows my thoughts on this stupid tradition being forced on us. "Well, turns out it's a blessing in disguise."

Jasper looks thoroughly confused now. "I don't feel you having second thoughts about the wedding. Why do you say that?"

"Well, I had a vision when we decided to stay apart. And let's just say that the resulting scenario was very satisfying."

He groans and smacks his forehead. "Ali! I'm happy you're happy. But I've already got to hear it when you two fool around. I do not want to know about y'all's wedding night! Have some sympathy here."

I laugh at his assumption. "No, silly. That's not what I'm talking about. You know I can't see either of the twins. I meant that you and I will have a very productive week starting in about five minutes when I convince you to take a little road trip with me."

He cocks his head in question and crosses his arms. "Let's hear it. I'm interested now."

I outline my plan for him, the whole time his grin getting wider and wider and the look of violence growing in his eyes and his very stance. "So, what do you think? Think Isaiah will like it as a wedding gift?"

A rumble leaves his chest as his lips snarl in a malicious grin. "Not to be rude, Alice, but I don't give a fuck if your mate likes the idea. My Bella will be ecstatic! When do we leave?"

"Right as soon as you tell Bella that you are going on a short five day trip. Tell her the real reason if you want, just make sure she doesn't tell Isaiah if you do."

He calls her right away, telling her that he is going to prepare a surprise for her. Soon we are underway, steadily making our way south. Anticipation is palpable between us and I suspect that Jasper is projecting but don't call him on it.

**{-F-E-A-}**

We approach a small Tuscan style mansion on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. The place screams wealth and privilege. Jasper and I approach the front door slowly, being sure to appear as human-like as possible even though it is late at night and no one is likely to see us entering the home of this bitch.

Knowing the door will be unlocked, I turn the knob and walk into the front room. Littering the coffee tables and many other surfaces are all kinds of drug paraphernalia. Needles, pipes, razor blades, etc, are scatted here and there. Men are slouched in drugged out hazes in several places all over the room, each one in a different state of undress. The stench of rancid chemicals and human bodily fluids permeates the room entirely.

"Jesus Fuck!" Jasper exclaims. "Did you know about this, Alice?"

I nod, looking at him apologetically. "Warning you wouldn't have helped. Sorry." He shrugs, ducks his head out the door, takes a deep breath of fresh air and comes back in holding his breath. Good thing we don't need to breath.

We continue on through the house, seeking the person we are after. She isn't in the front room where my vision told me she would be. Searching until we find her most recent scent trail, we are both alarmed to find it tinged with the smell of fear and a lot of blood from another man. We race to where the trail leads us, stopping in what appears to be a nursery, we take in the bloody sight before us.

Renee Dwyer kneels over a large man with a bloodstained knife in her hands. She's shaking as she looks at what she has done. The man, while breathing, has obviously passed out from blood loss. The bitch that seems determined to ruin every life she touches gasps when she somewhat realizes what she has done. She doesn't even notice us in her drugged state. Shakily, she gets up from the floor and moves over to a crib on the far side of the room and stares angrily at a barely moving, though untouched, bundle laying tucked under a light blue blanket.

"This is your fault, you little shit!" She slurs to the tiny baby. "Stupid fucking kids always take all the attention." Her movements are exceptionally wobbly as she raises the knife in her hand over the kid. "If you didn't exist, then Phil wouldn't always be mad at me I wouldn't have had to kill my love."

Before she can do anything to the innocent little thing, I flash quickly to her side and snatch the knife away from her, careful to keep it away from the baby. Renee looks up at me with bleary eyes, hardly able to focus on anything but her own inner turmoil. She makes a feeble attempt to snatch the knife back, but a growl from me has her stumbling back and tripping over her husbands still body.

"You... you're that little cunt Isaiah is fucking around with." Amazing. The woman still has the gall to act so high and mighty. Maybe it's the drugs coursing through her veins.

I ignore the bitch for now and look back to Jasper as he kneels next to the wounded man. "Jas, I never saw any of this happening. It must be a snap decision. Though I never knew she had another kid." And the baby was definitely Renee's. It smells like a mixture of her and the still bleeding man on the floor.

Checking the man's pulse, Jasper pulls out his cellphone and dials 9-1-1. Explaining to the emergency personnel that there are ten drugged and possibly overdosed men at this address and one critically wounded person he makes sure to add that there is a sickly infant needing attention as well. We can both smell the illness on the poor thing, and it looks like it hasn't been fed properly in too long.

When he gets off the phone, we tie Renee up and toss her into a closet in the master bedroom. She doesn't fight us the whole way, too lost now in her mind. Rushing back to the nursery, Jasper administers first aid to the husband while I check on the baby. He's too small, though obviously not a newborn any longer. Making sure to bundle him warmly, I take him to the kitchen to see what I can find for him. Thankfully, I find a container of formula to feed the poor little thing. Not sure how old he is, I make the minimum amount in a small bottle I find tucked into a cabinet. Testing the temperature, I make sure it won't burn him before offering it to him. For a moment, I think he's too weak to eat, but after a second, he latches on and begins suckling slowly.

Jasper enters the kitchen to wash off the blood on his hands. He looks at the baby, a silent question in his eyes. I smile and close my eyes, searching for a vision for the little guy. A moment later, I open them and stare down happily at the little thing.

"Isaac will be fine. After a fashion, anyways. His father will recover to raise him, and his brother and sister will play a role in his life. Not as big as they would hope to, but still, they'll be there for him." The baby drifts off after finishing most of the bottle, his little hand coming up and grasping my pinkie in his tiny fist.

"When can we get on with our plans for the bitch?" Jasper asks.

"Morning will be soon enough. She'll be plenty scared when she comes out of her stupor to find herself tied and gagged in a dark closet. I think that is a decent starting place for now. Besides, we'll have a few days to play. I just hope she can last through some of the ones I have planned." I grin at the thought of getting the revenge I crave for my mate. I asked him once if he wanted to kill her himself. He told me that while, yes, he would kill her if she threatened him or his family again, he simply couldn't see himself killing the being that had given him life. I try to understand where he's coming from. I struggle to do so because of my lack of human memories. To me, I simply woke up one day, already a part of the world set to find my own way.

Soon, the paramedics arrive, practically a fleet of them. All of the men are taken away after samples of each type of drug is taken from various places around the room. Another team of medics moves into the nursery to start transporting the husband while two female paramedics take the infant from me to examine it. Jasper stays at the house to guard Renee while I accompany the baby and its' father to the hospital. Isaac is diagnosed with a severe cold, verging on pneumonia, and chronic malnutrition.

Phil, while stable, needs a series of blood transfusions. His scars will be horrible, though thankfully no other severe damage was done. One wound on the back of his upper thigh will never allow him to play baseball again, however. When he wakes up, I make sure I'm there in the room to calm him. He's panicked and fidgety until he sees me and goes almost completely still.

"Who are you?" His voice is scratchy and rough.

I step forward and he gasps at my vampiric perfection. "Hello, Mr. Dwyer. My name is Alice. Alice Cullen. I have a bit of a story to tell, if you are up to listening. When I'm through, I will give you an offer I don't think you'll refuse."

He nods as best he can and I begin. I tell him everything I know about the twins' abusive childhood. I tell them of the neglect, the beatings, the slavish working they were forced into. He looks disgusted and ill by the time I get around to the most recent events of Renee traveling to Forks to retrieve them. He tells me she claimed to only be going to check up on them and that he should have known better. After he soaks in all the new information, he is strangely calm.

"Right now, I'm not surprised that bitch did all of that. I hate what happened to those kids, wish I could change it. But what does all of this have to do with me? There's nothing I can do for them." He pauses, thinking. "Is there, Ms. Cullen?"

I give him a toothless smile to try to put him at ease. "Well, Mr. Dwyer, whether you may like it or not, you will never have to worry about your wife again. I would apologize, but I wouldn't mean it in the slightest." He grunts as if he couldn't care. "But what you could do for Isaiah and Isabella is accept their offer."

"Offer? What offer?"

"Your son is currently in the NICU," he begins to panic again so I add in a rush, "Don't worry, sir. He's going to be just fine. Now on to the offer, yes?" He nods, but he still looks worried. "The twins will want to know they have a sibling. Half or not, they care about those in their family. From what I understand, you never did a thing to them, so I have pretty good idea that they will go along with this." He starts to look a little impatient in his tired and injured state. "You will return with us to Denali, Alaska if the Isaac is able to travel. If not, you will come later, but you will come. The twins will meet their brother, and they will explain your future. The doctors have not told you yet but-"

"I won't play baseball again. I know. I can feel the slice on the back of my leg." He sounds absolutely crushed at the thought.

I nod sadly and go on. "You will not ask any questions about Renee. For all intents and purposes, she never existed. You personally, will never mention her in front of the twins." I think for a moment. "I believe that is it. They may add things later on, but for now, is that acceptable?"

He looks so tired and stunned. Phil blinks a few times, getting his mind in order. "I don't think I could ask for anything else right now." He pauses. "Except one thing. If you don't mind, that is." I nod and he asks, "Isaac has a blanket. I've noticed it's hard for him to sleep without it, sick or not. Could you possibly bring it to my boy? He'll be distressed enough with all that's happened. I don't want him unable to sleep, as well."

I smile down at him and agree to bring the blanket to the baby. Not sure how I would slip it into the NICU, but that will be a little later. As I slip out of the injured man's room, I can't help the decidedly evil grin that comes over my face.

_Get ready, Renee, you bitch. You won't like what's coming in the next few days, but Jazz and I will._


End file.
